


Your Heart for My Tiara

by burnintoash (funnymorning)



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Detectives, Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Chamniel bro!ship for all the chamniel fics I wish I had written, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, No angst - just blood, Strong Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2018-10-18
Packaged: 2019-08-03 12:48:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 45,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16326545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/funnymorning/pseuds/burnintoash
Summary: He is beauty, not that much of a grace, but Park Woojin will definitely punch you in the face.A Miss Congeniality!AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dreamsailing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamsailing/gifts).



> Hi Erin. Thank you for sending me in as one of your favourites. I hope this one didn't let you down.

If Woojin’s life is a slightly uplifting comedy with bright colour palettes and 90s pop songs soundtrack, right about now, it will be freeze framing as Park Jihoon is oiling up Woojin’s very naked abs while Woojin, who hopefully is the lovably dorky main character, would narrate soulfully in the background … _“Yup. That’s me. You are probably wondering how I ended up in this situation.”_

And how exactly did he end up in this situation?

Well, it probably started when Woojin had won the rolly chair race with Jihoon, and then continued to bump into Captain Yoon Jisung's desk and broke his 10-year commemorative awards from the SMPA - Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

The captain denies that this is revenge slash punishment, but Woojin, very respectfully, refuses to buy it.

Because this? This is punishment at its peak form.

 

* * *

 

_A few Months Before_

“This is my punishment, right?” Woojin asks, more of a whimper really. “Captain. I told you I am sorry! And, that glass award thingy is mostly paperweight on your desk anyway, and you don’t even have papers! Everything is digitalized.”

Jihoon is snickering, like straight up snorting like a happy pig in mud. Woojin would turn around and smack his face onto his desk, but he has just been handed a death sentence, and he is pretty much torn between the denial and the anger stage right now.

“It is not, Woojin.” Captain Jisung says casually. “Do you think so little of my professionalism?”

“But..” Woojin protests meekly.

“You always said you like undercover missions.” Jisung adds in.

“I meant cool undercover missions!” Woojin argues. “Like in a gang, or infiltrating a drug ring. Hell, I would even take organized larceny right now, and not some … fucking beauty pageant. I am not wearing a tiara!”

“Firstly, it is a crown.” Jihoon says as a matter of fact. “Secondly, brave of you to assume that you’d ever get to wear it. And lastly, Mr. Korea is a very respected and privilege title a man can be bestowed upon.”

“Then, you go do it, asshat.” Woojin turns to him and spits.

Jihoon gives him an infuriating smirk before rolling his chair next to where the Captain is standing. “Well, I was the first one to be considered. Thank you, captain.” He holds out a fist, which Jisung gleefully bumps, and really? This is the man who wants to talk to Woojin about professionalism? “But, apparently, my face is too widely known for a high-profile undercover mission.”

Five months back, in partnership with the Seoul City Hall PR department, SMPA had launched city-wide advertisement campaign, with cliche slogans and posters all across Seoul. Jihoon was chosen as the face of the campaign because, well, because of his face, Woojin guesses. There were even some people lurking outside the Gangnam police station to catch a glimpse of the viral handsome detective on the posters. Those were dark times because Jihoon’s ego is big enough as it is, and the campaign did as much help as pouring gasoline on to a raging fire.

“Everyone in Seoul knows I am a detective, Woojin.” Jihoon is continuing and Woojin rolls his eyes, taking a mental note to take a picture of one of Jihoon’s posters that had been defaced pretty vulgarly in the subway station next to Woojin’s place and to accidentally send it out to the whole team. “So sadly, I am just gonna have to be your handle this time round, which, hey, let’s be real, is a harder job.”

“First of all, die in your sleep. Second, Jaehwan hyung is here too, and he has more undercover experience than me.”

“Leave me out of it.” Jaehwan mumbles from two desk across. “I am balls deep in these chain robberies. You can’t pull me out. I’ll play support, but I can’t give you all my time.”

“Yeah,” Jihoon nods. “And to be honest, he’s not really beauty pageant material.”

“You know what,” Jaehwan turns to them. “I agree with Woojin. Die in your sleep, Park Jihoon.”

Jihoon just sticks his tongue out.

“If you all are finished telling your colleagues to die, let me remind everyone of you.” the Captain cuts in. “This is not a voluntary exercise. This is an order. We’ll have the briefing at 2, so better put your pageant smile on, Park Woojin.”

Woojin groans, and slumps back down into his chair. “I should have never rolly chair raced with you, Jihoon.”

Jihoon laughs. “Hey, at least I paid for your lunch for an entire week back then.”

“If I pay you all that money back now, will you help me talk the captain out of it?”

“No can do, my sweet puppy.” Jihoon shakes his head, and rolls back to his desk. “No can do.”

Woojin groans even more.

 

* * *

 

“Mr. Korea,” Jihoon presses the next button on his presentation remote with a flourish. “... was launched three years ago and went severely under the radar, even though, the winner did go on to become a nightly radio show host on one of the SBS spare radio slots.”

Woojin sighs inwardly and gets comfortable. This is going to be long.

“But in 2016, the second year of the first and the best beauty in masculinity competition, their words, not mine, they found some fame after the runner up of the competition got casted in a Reply series. But last year was their true break-out year when Kwon Hyun Bin won the Mr. Korea title and went on to sign as an official Gucci model. This year, the competition is collaborating with Mnet to make some sort of a reality show slash beauty pageant program that will air live over a period of two months, and that was when the threats started.”

Jihoon presses the remote again, and the slide switches to a plain one with just a picture of a red-haired man.

“Ha Sungwoon, celebrity personality and fashion designer, and most importantly, the pageant consultant of Mr. Korea 2018 …”

“What the fuck is a pageant consultant?” Jaehwan leans in and asks Woojin lowly.

“Fuck if I know.” Woojin mumbles back.

“... reported the threats.” Jihoon continues. “According to him, threats are pretty common in the industry apparently, which, you know, kind of worries me as a detective, but he reported these specific ones because they are very detailed in terms of actual location and people involved.”

The next slide contains several pictures of a couple of paper letters, all typed out neatly and carefully worded. But Woojin had read those letters, and let’s just say, their contents are not very pretty.

“There had been three threatening letters so far, the first one more generic, but the second one outlines how our writer is going to wire a bomb under the front fountain of the Vine Valley, which was where the contestants will be staying and was confidential information at that point of time. The last one, which we received last week, actually had .. let’s say, pretty graphic, threats on the producer from MNet heading the program. The collaboration was announced this Monday.”

“So, it is an inside job?” One of the commissioners that they are briefing asks.

“Well, the list of the inside is unfortunately pretty long, but yes, it has to be someone with access.” Woojin answers. “An event like this has several parties involved from planning and logistics side to the broadcast company and the contestants as well. Conservatively speaking, we are looking at about a pool of 500 suspects.”

“Our main focus is on people who got involved in the process in the time period between the first and second letter, because the first letter was pretty generic. It was just, you know, how this is corrupting the meaning of manhood, and that homosexuality is ruining the modern Korea because we allow women to run things. I don’t know. It somehow manages to be both sexist and homophobic at the same time, with a little transphobia, kind of remind me of one of my distant uncles’ soju table rants.”

“Thank you for the personal information that we didn’t ask, Detective … ?”

“Park.” Jihoon grins. “Park Jihoon.”

“Yes, please carry on with your threat analysis without any personal anecdote, thank you.” The commissioner says and Woojin bites down on his lower lip to not laugh.

“Right.” Jihoon says. “So, all we have are a couple of very detailed threats, which we were not able to verify the origins of, by the way. They were all delivered via post without a return address. However, I noticed one thing when I was looking through the letters. The writing font, the prose, the stationery, and most importantly, the sign ..”

“ _A concerned citizen_?” The commissioner reads out the signature typed in the letter zoomed in on the projector.

“Yes.” Jihoon points at him, and says. “They all felt depressingly familiar to me for some reason, so I checked back some old case files, and … ta da …”

“The 2014 Pride bomber?”

“Yes, sir.” Jihoon nods proudly. He had been preening every since he made that connection, and Woojin cannot even fault him for that because it is awesome. “In 2014, a small section of the Pride march in Seoul was bombed with 4 people injured. The police never caught the bomber, but they did identify one letter out of the, I don’t know, 33 thousands threats Seoul Pride Parade received that year, to have come from the bomber, and voila, a concerned citizen.”

“How does the pride correlate to Mr. Korea?” Another commissioner asks.

“You … don’t watch a lot of TV, do you, m’dm?”

“Do I look like I have time to watch TV, Detective Park?”

“No, no, m’dm. So, well, Kwon Hyunbin, winner of Mr. Korea 2017 publicly came out last Christmas. And a lot of the contestants were rumoured and some proven to be gay. And the pageant itself is, you know, popular among the gay and bisexual men. They advertise pretty heavily on gay dating apps and magazines. Plus, the company hosting Mr. Korea is a partial sponsor for this year Pride as well.”

“So, it’s a gay beauty pageant?” One of the commissioners asks and Woojin can see Jihoon’s eyebrows tightening from across the room.

“No, sir. It is a man beauty pageant. Being gay is not a requirement.”

“Look,” the same commissioner waves a hand and says. “I don’t care what kind of an event it is. I don’t like a possible active bomber running around uncaught in the city. And, if this … pageant is televised like you were saying, the PR fallout from it will be a disaster. I heard you are sending a detective from your precinct as an undercover, Captain Yoon?”

Woojin’s soul, or what is left of it, withers a little more.

“Yes, sir.” Jisung answers. “Since this is almost certain to be an inside job, we thought it’d be better to have someone on the inside so as to not raise much suspicion. We will be sending the handler detective as the official in-charge for the event itself, to give the contestants and public some peace of mind.”

“Why send in an undercover at all?” Another commissioner asks. “It says here there is about a month left before the pageant began. That should be enough to check and interrogate the suspect list.”

“That might spook our perp, m’dm.” Jihoon answers. “The profile team needs at least a month to give us something to work with, so we don’t have any ground to interrogate anyone on anything more than a suspicion charge. Plus, we don’t want to draw too much attention to our investigation in case our bomber ghosts again.”

“Well, who are you planning to send in?”

Woojin whimpers. Jihoon grins. “The youngest and second brightest of our precinct, sir. Woojin, can you .. yeah, stand up please. Thanks.”

“Aren’t you the junior detective who shot my precinct captain in the head during last year simulation exercise?” One of the commissioners furrows his brows and asks, and yes, yes, that’d be Woojin.

“In my defense, sir, your captain was playing the role of a terrorist who had rigged explosives under the Blue House, so the actual presidential security service would also have shot him in the head if they got the chance.”

And Woojin did get the coolest kill of the night prize - which was a 10,000 won voucher to Burger King, but still a prize is a prize.

“Well, I hope you have a good strategy and logistical reports planned, Captain Yoon.”

“I did, sir. All in the reports in front of you.” Jisung smiles like this isn’t his first rodeo. (It isn’t. Woojin, for a fact, knew that this is his 34th)

“Well then, the commissioner committee will get back to you the approval status by end of week.” The commissioner says. “Although, to be frank, I don’t see anything blocking us from approving this, so I guess you …” he turns to Woojin and smiles like the Grinch. “... will be the first pageant to come out from SMPA after all.”

Woojin wonders how long will it take to die if he just jumps out from the window behind Jihoon right now.


	2. Chapter 2

“Dinner for the future Mr. Korea.”

“Die.” Woojin replies eloquently but takes the pizza box Jihoon is handing him. They are at Jihoon’s because Jihoon takes the handler job seriously, and all case materials are at his place. There is even a board with photos and documents pinned with red strings together. Woojin has no idea what that board means, and he’s pretty sure Jihoon does not either.

Jihoon just softly laughs, and flips open the cover of the pizza box.

“Hawaiian, really?” Woojin raises an eyebrow. Jihoon cannot stand pineapples on pizza or he must actually be feeling a little sympathy for Woojin.

“What? I am open to change.” Jihoon shrugs, but grimaces when he takes a bite out of his pizza. Woojin rolls his eyes and grabs the half bitten slice from Jihoon’s hand to pick out the rest of the pineapples left.

“So,” Jihoon continues after taking a large sip out of his soda. “... the whole thing will start on 24th. I mean, the actual filming won’t start until the 1st of next month, but they’ll take one week out for rehearsal and all that. So, that means we have roughly two weeks.”

“Two weeks for what?” Woojin mumbles.

“To change you into someone ..” Jihoon wriggles his fingers around. “... Mr. Korea worthy.”

“I am Mr. Korea worthy.” Woojin argues.

“Bro, you haven’t shaved in two weeks and I can literally smell the days old ramen from those stains on your shirt.”

“It’s because I was busy helping out Doyeon with the profiling.” Woojin mumbles but makes a note to do laundry when / if he gets home. “Anyway, what do you care? They can’t drop me. It’s not a stage by stage elimination show. Once I am in, I am in until the finals.”

“True, but Mr. Ha insists that you at least look the part so it doesn’t seem like his competition is just picking up stray puppies from the street.”

“He called me a stray puppy?”

“No, he called you something much worse.” Jihoon scoffs. “Don’t take offense though. It’s because he hasn’t met you yet. Although, I am not sure meeting you actually will change his mind.”

Woojin kicks at him under the table. “We are helping him out from, you know, possible death in explosion. He should actually be begging for us to help.”

“Yeah, that wasn’t the deal with the serve and protect oath, pal.” Jihoon shakes his head.

“Yeah, well,” Woojin takes a sip out of his own soda cup. “I didn’t take the oath to serve and protect fucking pageants either so…”

“What do you have against beauty pageants, man?” Jihoon frowns. “You’ve been a dickhead ever since the assignment is out. This isn’t even your first undercover this year.”

“I don’t have anything against them!” Woojin aruges. “I just think that it is 2018, and maybe we should stop judging people by their face, and honestly, I don’t understand the purpose of people who live for these kinds of things.”

“Careful.” Jihoon scoffs. “You are starting to sound like Mr. threat.”

“No, I am not.” Woojin rolls his eyes. “I am just saying that it is an area that I don’t understand or relate to. Doesn’t mean I won’t do my job and protect them all I can.”

“Well, you’d better.” Jihoon says decisively. “This is the first time I’m made primary of a case. Don’t fuck this up or I will make sure you will never see the sun again.”

“We’ve talked about this, Jihoon. You can’t keep me in your basement as a sex slave no matter how hot you find me.”

“Ha ha.” Jihoon laughs dryly. “Really though. I want to catch this son of a bitch, you know that, right?”

“I do.” Woojin sighs.

The Pride bombing happened when they were still at the Academy. They had planned to go to march, in fact, on that very day but Jihoon’s boyfriend back then had a quiz so they decided to go on Day 2, which never happened, because the bombing happened on Day 1, and the organizers cannot get enough support from the authority to ensure the safety of the attendance for the next days.

Jihoon was beyond pissed back then, both at the prep, and the police force who not only did not investigate properly into the bombing but also refused to show public support. Woojin, too, gets both the anger and the frustration. It was the early year of Pride, and support was far and few as it is and it scared people for the next one or two years.

“To be honest, I didn’t say this to the committee because I do have more than one brain cell, but the reason I pushed for someone to go undercover is because I know people from the community will not trust the police enough to open up.”

“We’ll change that.” Woojin replies. “Maybe not now or even two months from now, but we’ll try to change that.”

“It’s cute whenever you try to sound optimistic for me,” Jihoon laughs.

“I am an optimistic person.”

“Sure, Woojin.” Jihoon shakes his head. “Anyway, we are meeting up with Ha Sungwoon tomorrow after lunch at the precinct.”

“What does he even do?” Woojin asks. “I mean, what even is a pageant consultant?”

“He consults pageants.”

“Thank you Jihoon. Your wide range of wisdom never fails to impress me.” Woojin scoffs.

“He just does everything, I think. Kind of like a program manager.” Jihoon furrows his brows. “But he is our main source, and only contact, so don’t be too late.”

“You can’t just assume I’ll be late …”

“15 minutes, Woojin.” Jihoon says seriously. “If you are late more than 15 minutes, I’ll tell Jaehwan hyung about the time you ate all his jellies.”

Woojin sighs. “When was the last time I told you that I regret ever meeting you?”

“This morning when I took your coffee.” Jihoon easily replies.

“No, wrong. It is right now, because guess what asshole, I regret ever meeting you.”

“Please.” Jihoon rolls his eyes and slams down the empty paper box. “We both know you love me.”

Jihoon really, really, does not know that.

 

* * *

 

Woojin is running late.

In his defense though, it is all Yerim’s fault. She is in Seoul for a campus tour because his baby sister is now old enough to enroll in a university (or travel without their parents apparently. He’s gonna have a discussion with his mom on this), and Woojin decides to break the news to her first before she found through some TV promotion or worse, twitter.

And then, Yerim laughed for 20 minutes straight, so Woojin is now late because he had to wait for his sister to finish laughing at his misfortune.

> _“I will cuff you to that chair if you say one word, Park Yerim.” Woojin threatened her after she quieted down._
> 
> _“Well,” Yerim hiccuped. “Better do it now because you are not gonna have any place to put your cuffs when you are in a speedo, bro.”_
> 
> _“A speedo?” Woojin blinked._
> 
> _“Yes? Stage 3. Swimwear.” Yerim launched into giggles again._
> 
> _“I… no…” Woojin shudders. “How do you even know what stages are there?”_
> 
> _“Me and mom are big fans.”_
> 
> _“Mom??” Woojin said in complete shock and terror. “God no, please.”_
> 
> _“Hey, let us do some male objectification for a change, alright?” Yerim replied. “Although it’s gonna be difficult if your mug is on the TV next to a Calvin Klein model.”_
> 
> _“No,” Woojin pointed a determined finger at her and said. “I am cancelling the channel subscription at Busan home.”_
> 
> _“You know you are, like, not at all scary when you threaten people, right? How are you even a cop?”_

Yerim and Jihoon must never meet.

The clock is ticking 20 past 1 PM and Woojin braces himself for the upcoming doom while he power walks towards the meeting room where Jihoon and Sungwoon would be in.

“Hey!” He half pants as he steps into the room and closes the door behind him. There is a man sitting at the end of the lone table in the room, arms across his chest and legs spread like he paid for this very room. (To be honest, Woojin would have believed him if he said he paid for this whole building because he looks like the kind of guy that would buy buildings or something). “I am really sorry. Traffic was terrible.”

“You said you were going to lunch two blocks over.” Jihoon pointedly reminds him.

“Foot...traffic.” Woojin trails off and wipes his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand and pulls out one of the metal chair to sit down, except he somehow tripped over his own feet and almost fell face forward onto the table.

“No.” Ha Sungwoon turns to Jihoon and says.

“He is …” Jihoon grimaces. “...normally a better human than this. I mean, you saw his photo and says he looks ok for a homeless person!”

“A whatless now?” Woojin blinks.

“And…” Jihoon continues. “He has abs. Woojin, show him your abs!”

“I … what?”

“No, please don’t show me anything. Thank you. I’ve just eaten.” Sungwoon replies curtly.

If he weren’t so scared of this 5 foot dude, Woojin would be in love.

Yes, he has had a thing for smartass people who can knock him down with the sheer power of their words ever since he met Jihoon in their freshman year.

It could be worse.

“Being Mr. Korea is not only about having a good face and body,” Sungwoon is saying. “If those are the only criteria, we’d just do a Tinder roulette. Mr. Korea candidates are expected to have a good personality, grace, fashion sense and most importantly confidence.”

“I’m very confident in myself.” Woojin says and then gulps. “I think. I mean, I do have a good personality and fashion sense.”

“You missed an inch-wide stubble patch on your chin to shave, and you are wearing black pants with brown shoes.”

“But these are my good shoes.”

Sungwoon gives him a look.

“My personality is good?” Woojin tries.

“Look.” Jihoon finally cuts in. “Mr. Ha, I know Woojin is … he’s, well, a Woojin, and maybe he does not know how to shave properly but he is also one of the best detectives I know. He’s smart and quick on his feet and unnecessarily brave at times.”

Is it just Woojin or is this room too warm?

“We need someone like him on the inside so we can not only protect you but also your staff and your contestants. Not to mention the public who is gonna be present at the live shows.” Jihoon continues. “If you have any problem with his physical appearance, we can try our best to you know Mr. Korea up him a little, but please do remember that we are doing this to protect you.”

Sungwoon sighs.

“20th. 9 AM.” He finally says. “I own a salon in Mapo.”

“Yes, we are aware.”

“Good. Don’t even be a minute late.”

 

* * *

 

“You know your lack of faith in me is really disappointing?” Woojin says blurrily, leaning against the frame of his front door.

Jihoon shoves the cup in his hand in front of Woojin’s face, and at least the sweet sweet aroma of coffee wakes him up a little bit.

“Gimme…” Woojin makes a grab for it, but Jihoon pulls it back.

“Go shower and I’ll give you your caffeine.”

Woojin grumbles and go back inside his apartment. “I wouldn’t have been late, dude. It’s barely 7 in the morning. I had an alarm for 8:30.”

“You do know that our appointment is at 9, right?”

“So?” Woojin shrugs and grabs the towel from the balcony. “It’s literally a 10 minute drive.”

“Just ..” Jihoon sighs. “Go shower so at least when I throw this coffee in your face, it won’t be boiling hot.”

 

* * *

 

Jihoon did not throw any kind of liquid at Woojin’s face this morning, but Woojin now sure as hell wishes that he did so Woojin can get out of … this.

“Nobody said anything about waxing!” Woojin shrieks, hands automatically covering his very much naked chest.

“Because I did not know your body is a forest.” Sungwoon says casually like a part of Woojin’s soul has not just left the earth right in front of his eyes. Sungwoon asked Woojin to strip (both top and bottom - Woojin is sure as hell glad that he is wearing boxers today) as soon as they reached the salon and it took a total of 5 seconds before Sungwoon asked his assistant to take Woojin to the waxing room. “You have a decent body, but you would look much better without the hair except for maybe your happy trail. We’ll just do a shaping there.”

Woojin is too busy punching Jihoon in the arm to shriek again. Jihoon blocks his punches but does not stop laughing.

“Detective Park.”

“Yes?” Both of them turn their head and Sungwoon blinks.

“Not you …” Sungwoon vaguely gestures towards Woojin, and turns to Jihoon. “Do you have any other reason to be here other than cackling all over my salon?”

“That’s a pretty good reason, sir, but no, I guess not.”

“Then please leave your detective with me and go do whatever it is that you guys do.”

“You mean police work?”

“Yes. That.” Sungwoon replies, interest in them already lost.

“No, Jihoon.” Woojin pleads. “Don’t let them take me.”

“I actually have to go set up the van with Jaehwan hyung.” Jihoon nods and pats at Woojin’s bare shoulders. “It’s ok, Woojin. It’ll only hurt a little.”


	3. Chapter 3

It hurts more than just a little. Every place that he has hair is tingling and not in a good way. His head stings from the bleach, and even his nose was violated with some kind of Matrix-esque tool until all his nose hair gets plucked out. At least, they don’t wax his face because they say there is a high chance of rash, and Woojin actually threatens to shoot anyone who brings a thread near his face. Threading his eyebrows was bad enough - he hasn’t shed this much tears since Marley and Me.

“Deep cleansing, and then facials - two rounds.” Sungwoon stands in front of him, holding Woojin’s face in his palm and turning it side to side like he is a housewife inspecting a pear to buy in the market. “How do you feel about botox, detective?”

“I will murder …”

“That’s a no, then.” Sungwoon cuts in. “That’s fine. Natural look is in these days. Off you go. Follow Jinyoung.”

Woojin takes a deep sigh and follows Sungwoon’s assistant who has been leading him into nothing but torture rooms throughout the whole day.

“Jinyoung, hey, pal.”

“I am not your pal.”

“Ok. Got it, but look, I’ve been here for at least five hours - I don’t know, I had to put my phone away and I lost the meaning of time by the second waxing session. The point is I am starving. Can you get me anything to eat?”

And that’s how Woojin ended up eating his very first salad for lunch.

Thrilling stuff.

“Metallic grey.” Sungwoon barges into the tiny corner where Woojin is eating his sad, sad salad, and announces.

“What?” Woojin mumbles with a mouthful of … leaves. “What’s metallic grey?”

“Your new hair color.” Sungwoon says determinedly. “I’ve been mulling over it all day, but with your face shape and skin tone, metallic grey would look the best.”

“Errr….” Woojin replies intelligently. He is not very adventurous with his hair. He dyed it red one time because the girl he was dating back then worked at a salon and he got to do it for free. But then the color stained on everything so he just figured it isn’t worth the trouble.

“Off you go.” Sungwoon rushes him. “You can eat while we are dying your hair. After this, we’ll teach you some basic grooming and make-up steps, and some fashion advice, and you will be done.”

“Do I have to?” Woojin groans.

“Some people would pay an entire life fortune for them to get a personalized coaching from me, detective.”

“Yeah,” Woojin mumbles and sits down in the chair that Jinyoung is pointing to. “I’m only saving your life in exchange.”

“So,” Sungwoon comes and leans into the mirror frame in front of Woojin. “For your clothes, we will be providing you a wardrobe, and Jinyoung will help you install a customizing app on your phone so you know what to pair with what.”

“Really?” Woojin frowns. “Is that really necessary? I mean, I dress ok. I’ve been told that I look good in what I usually wear.”

“That’s because you have a body that can pull off a lot of things, but here? Just pulling off things is not enough.”

“Erm...thanks?” Woojin mumbles.

“Wasn’t a compliment.” Sungwoon replies. “We are, of course, expecting you to return us all the clothes by the end of this competition.”

Great. More logistics to take care of.

“Jinyoung will show you your first outfit after you are done with your hair. We did get your measurements, but I want to see the actual fit-to-size ratio.”

“Ok,” Woojin nods dumbly. He has been starting to feel like one of the Ken dolls Yerim used to play dress up with (and he tried to shoot down with his slingshot - maybe this is karma), and he feels like this might go over a lot quicker if he just sits and nods and cries only internally.

 

* * *

 

“These pants are too tight.” Woojin limps out of the dressing room. At least, they gave him a beanie so he can use it to cover the … bulge.

“Yes.” Sungwoon just replies simply.

“No, you don’t understand. I have to strap my gun to my calf or ankle. I can’t wear anything tight on the bottom.”

Sungwoon makes a face before turning to Jinyoung. “Jinyoung, take a note to replace all the pants in his wardrobe.”

What.

“You know that beanies are normally wear on the head, right?” Sungwoon turns back to him and said. “At least the head that is above your neck.”

Woojin flushes a little and puts it over his newly colored hair.

“Nevermind, I was wrong. Lose the beanie.” Sungwoon opens a palm, and Woojin throws it to him. “I really outdid myself with the color.”

That one, maybe Woojin can kind of agree with. He looks a little strange, but it kind of reminds him of Kakahsi Hatake style so it’s not all that bad.

“Are we all done?” Woojin claps his hands and says. “Can I change back into my clothes or ...?”

“Park Woojin? Holy shitballs.”

Woojin groans.

“Hyung, what are you doing here?” He turns towards the entrance where Jaehwan is giving him a once-over, and Jihoon is just standing there, eyebrows raised.

“We finished setting up the van two hours back, and got bored, so came to check on you. But seems like we should be checking you out instead.” Jaehwan wolf whistles. “Was that ass there all this time? I am gonna stop saying how I will kick you in the ass because that is actually an asset.”

“Please.” Woojin groans. “Complete your sexual harassment training at the precinct.”

“You are welcome,” Sungwoon stands up, and says. “And yes, go and change into your own clothes if you are just gonna stand there with your hands covering your junk.”

Woojin wooshes like the wind into the changing room.

 

* * *

 

When he comes back out, comfortable now in his sweatpants and tee, Sungwoon, Jihoon and Jaehwan are sitting around one of the tables in the salon reception area.

“So?” Woojin mumbles, hip checking Jihoon so he scoots over a little and Woojin can sit down. “What do you think?”

“Well, I always knew there is a slightly less ugly duckling inside this ugly duckling.” Jihoon laughs. “I like your hair… it .. holy shit… how is it so soft?”

“They had like ten different liquids and some really scary equipments.” Woojin muses and touches his own hair, which really is softer than it felt before.

“Scooch down your head a little.” Jihoon says. “I can’t stop petting your hair.”

Woojin did.

“If you guys are finished with your weird PDA,” Jaehwan comments.

“Screw you, hyung.” Jihoon counters, but Jaehwan ignores him.

“Here is Woojin’s new ID - ID card and driving license.” Woojin grabs at the two cards Jaehwan is handing him.

“Baek Jinwoo. Really?” Woojin grimaces. “You guys really put a lot of thoughts into this cover, huh?”

“What?” Jihoon shrugs. “Familiarity helps, Mr. Baek Jinwoo.”

Woojin rolls his eyes, but pockets the cards.

“And, here’s your file regarding your background information.” Jaehwan hands him a piece of paper. “And a few fake social media accounts. Jihoon kind of went ham on them.”

“I used up all my abs pics of you.” Jihoon whispers. “On Baek Jinwoo’s instagram.”

“Why do you even have my abs pics?” Woojin blinks, and Jihoon just answers with a simple _research_.

Sungwoon takes the personal information file from Jaehwan and reads through it before frowning. “It says here he’s the Busan representative.”

“Yes, I am from Busan.” Woojin nods.

“No, you can’t be from Busan.” Sungwoon cuts him off. “At least Baek Jinwoo cannot. We have one representative per city rule, and we are already breaking the rules with Busan.”

“Break the rule how?” Jihoon asks as soon as Woojin says “So? Kick the current representative out?”

“We are not..” Sungwoon turns to him and says with so much iciness that Woojin shrinks a little into his form. “... kicking anyone out to make way for you. And also, for Busan, we are having two representatives because their final scores in the audition round tie and the pageant committee cannot choose one over the other. Here.”

Sungwoon slams a thick binder onto the table and starts flipping the pages through photos of guys who are scarily good looking.

“Busan representatives.” Jihoon leans in and reads out aloud. “Kang Daniel and Hwang Minhyun. Damnnnn… ok. Alright, I get why the committee wasn’t able to choose. It’s like choosing between pizza and chicken.”

Woojin grimaces, looking at the two photographs lying there in front of him. One of the dudes is in his speedo, and when Woojin said Calvin Klein models, he meant it figuratively, not the actual model dudes. The other guy is also (half)-naked - Woojin is starting to see a pattern here - his profile sharp against the dark background, like he is some kind of extra sultry dark room photo developer who does not like shirts.

“So, Busan is a no-go.” Sungwoon concludes. “There are about 30 cities with no representative chosen. You can take one of those.”

“What about Masan?” Jihoon asks.

“Masan… I don’t think we have a Masan representative.”

“Damn.. my own city losing out.” Jihoon mumbles before turning to Woojin. “Welcome to Masan, fellow local.. I hope you make our hometown proud.”

“As long as I don’t have to adopt Masan’s horrific satoori.” Woojin shrugs, and Jihoon pinches him in his newly waxed thigh.

 

* * *

 

“That’s a zero from me.” Sungwoon says.

“I was literally just walking!” Woojin protests. “For five steps!”

“Yes, and it’s a zero.” Sungwoon shrugs. “The very first competition stage : runway walk. You are not expected to walk like a Chanel model, but you can’t walk like you are a limping penguin.”

“I don’t …”

“How’s it going, guys?” Jihoon walks into the conference room at the precinct that they had reserved so Sungwoon can come down, and iron out the details for tomorrow, the D-Day (or as Woojin likes to call it affectionately - the Die-in-a-fire Day).

“Apparently, I don’t know how to walk.” Woojin turns to him and says exasperatedly.

“All these years and you never fail to surprise me.” Jihoon replies, amused, and hands him one of the coffee cups he is holding. “Here’s your Caramel Macchiato with extra foam and two shots of syrup. Enjoy the diabetes.”

Woojin sticks his tongue out but gratefully takes the much needed coffee.

“And here’s your extra large cold brew.” Jihoon says and gives Sungwoon his coffee. Bitter, like him, Woojin supposes. “So, walking? Really?”

“It’s the most fundamental of stages. You have to show your confidence and personality - are you a boy-next-door or are you the cool-and-aloof-senior or are you the heartbreaker, that kind of thing, through your walk.”

Woojin has lived 25 years on this earth, and he has never once known that walking is this damn complicated.

“Just ..” Sungwoon sighs. “... imagine that the people who will be watching you …”

Great. Woojin definitely was not thinking about all the people who will be watching him, but now he is and he is one more step closer to a freak out.

“... are in awe of you and not there to judge you.”

Right… there will be people judging him there too.

“Hey, hey,” Jihoon is in front of him suddenly and Woojin blinks down at him. “Easy. Don’t freak out, alright?”

“I am not …” Woojin whimpers.

“So, hey,” Jihoon says. “Remember this morning when you walk into the precinct and all the junior police ladies turned to look at you.”

“Yeah, and you told me to stop preening and that they are looking at me only because I have breadcrumbs on my lips.”

“Yeah, you did have breadcrumbs on your lips, but they were looking at you because you look good, alright? I overheard one of them talking, and hey, even Jaehwan hyung kept talking about your ass.”

“Please don’t remind me of it.”

“My point is you look good, ok? You are good enough that you can go and compete in one of the vainest beauty competition in Seoul.”

“I did have several objections on that.” Sungwoon pipes in from the background.

“This is just another cover that you have to take like you had done multiple times before.” Jihoon ignores Sungwoon and continues. “Whatever people think of Baek Jinwoo, good or bad, it has nothing to do with Park Woojin. It is not you they are judging or loving.”

“Ok.” Woojin breathes out. “Ok.”

“Maybe we will try the walking thing later?” Jihoon turns to Sungwoon and says. Sungwoon tightens his lips but grunts out a fine. Woojin breathes a little easier.

“So, what’s next?”

“Personal talent.” Sungwoon says.

“That’s stage 2, right?” Woojin asks, pulling out his notebook from his backpack, and reads through the list of notes he had jotted down to memorize.

 _Stage 1 : Preliminary photo shoots + Runway_  
_Stage 2 : Talent Competition_  
_Stage 3 : Live Interview + Final Runway (Formal + Swimwear - note: talk to hsw for getting anything but a speedo)_  
_Stage 4 : Finale!!!!!_

His goal is to catch the perp as soon as possible so he never gets to even stage 3 and bows out peacefully. Each stage will take about two weeks in term of both practice / rehearsals and filming, so Woojin has roughly a month to catch the perp if he wants there to never be a live televised footage of him in a speedo.

“Yes,” Sungwoon nods. “It is stage 2, but it is the one most contestants are nervous about. It is a make or break stage. This is your one shot to stand out.”

“Great for me since I don’t want to stand out.” Woojin nods.

“You will stand out more if you make a fool out of yourself on stage.” Sungwoon shrugs. “The best option is to keep it average.”

Ok, that does not seem that bad of a goal to aim for. Woojin can do average perfectly.

“Is there anything you’d call as talent?”

Apart from being able to eat a whole serving of beef in under ten minutes?

“I have a pretty good aim?” Woojin tries. “I mean, I am pretty good with guns. I rarely miss.”

“Yeah, shooting guns on a live stage might not go very well.” Sungwoon says, and Woojin unfortunately agrees. “Maybe switch to darts or something.”

“You should dance.” Jihoon cuts in.

“I…” Woojin stars. That’s not exactly a bad idea, but “..I haven’t danced for months. I got caught up in that murder case and never got enough time.”

“But you won’t have to put too much time aside to practice, and you can just redo any of your old dance routine.”

“Hang on,” Sungwoon says. “You dance?”

“I dabble.” Woojin shrugs, as Jihoon says, “He’s a great dancer.”

“Just so we're clear here,” Sungwoon crosses his arms. “What kind of dance are we talking here? Ballet? Hip hop? Yodelling? Tap dance?”

“Mostly modern and hip hop.” Woojin answers. “I did b-boying for a while while I was undergrad.”

“Why have you …” Sungwoon blinks up at him. “... never told me this vital information?”

“Erm, because we did not know it was vital?” Jihoon says. “Why is it vital again?”

“Because,” Sungwoon grunts. “Now, I have a story for him. The underdog tenacious boy from Masan who struggled all through his life …”

“I really didn’t struggle that much…” Woojin mumbles.

“... to make it to Seoul and break into the industry. That is the perfect cover!”

“If you say so, sir.” Woojin says. This is probably the first time he had seen Sungwoon being close to happy and/or enthusiastic, and he is not going to argue against it.

“Ok, so personal talent is sorted out.” Sungwoon nods. “We will do a fitting for the fashion walk next week. We are still working out the details with our partnering designer.”

“So yeah, about that, can I get something that is non-speedo for the swimwear session?”

“We can always do a thong if you are feeling brave enough.”

“You know what, a speedo is fine.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Nervous?”

“No.” Woojin scoffs. “I am Park Woojin. I don’t get nervous.”

“If your leg is shaking any harder,” Jihoon lays his palm on the knee of said leg, and says. “... your joints are going to fall off.”

“I am good..” Woojin breathes out. “I’m good. Like you said, it is just another assignment, right? I can do this.”

“That’s my man.” Jihoon says and pats Woojin’s knee a couple of times. “Go get’em. You’ll do just fine.”

 

* * *

 

Woojin is definitely not doing fine, and it has been a whole two minutes.

He just boarded onto the Pageant Bus from the small motel he was supposed to be staying, and immediately he is smacked in the face by a very strong whiff of various colognes mixture, and various guys and dudes staring at him curiously. They all look like they can be male leads in romantic webtoons, and Woojin is barely a comic-relief sidekick character.

“You gonna sit down or not?” The bus driver grunts, and Woojin nods dumbly before making his way down the aisle. It’s fine. He has punched drug lords in the face before - he can handle 20 something models staring at him like they don’t know what to do with him.

The seats are all mostly occupied because Woojin begged Sungwoon to get him picked up the last so that he does not have to spend an hour riding around town with his new found best friends. But that also means that his plan of just sitting alone in one of the back row seats has failed.

“Hey, you can sit here!” One of the guys sitting in the front rows smiles and waves over at Woojin, and at least his smile does not look dead like some of the other guys and he actually looks friendly so Woojin smiles back unsurely and walks towards him.

“Thank you.” Woojin mumbles and tries his best not to whack the guy in the face with his butt as he wriggles into the free window seat.

“We haven’t even reached the pageant house and you’ve already adopted a stray?” One of the guys sitting in the seat across the aisle turns to them and speaks. “That’s fast, even for you, Niel.”

Woojin blinks at his seatmate, who is just smiling back at the guy across the aisle before taking off his hat and running his fingers through his hair.

Wait. Woojin knows him.

Not like personally acquainted, but Woojin recognises the face. He is one of the Busans. In fact, another Busan is sitting across the aisle, next to the guy who just spoke to the first Busan.

“Be nice, hyung.” The first Busan says and turns to Woojin. “I am Daniel, by the way.”

“Hi, yes.” Woojin shakes the hand that Daniel is offering. “Busan, right?”

Daniel’s eyes widen. “How’d you know?”

Shit on a stick. Woojin is not supposed to know any of the contestants despite having run background check on half of them (Jihoon split the background check works and claimed that he’ll be taking the hotter ones so Woojin never did get a chance to look into Daniel or the other Busan).

“I … your accent.” Woojin bluffs. “I recognize your accent.”

“Really?” Daniel grins. “Is it that obvious? I thought I lost my accent years ago.”

“Yeah, well, I’m from … Masan, but I grew up in Busan so I’m kind of sensitive to it.” Woojin continues, and internally winces. He needs to get his head in the game - he has never been a particularly excellent liar, but he had done enough undercover work to not draw suspicion to his cover story.

“Oh really?” Daniel grins. “So, you are representing Masan?”

“Yup.” Woojin nods along. “Baek Jinwoo. Nice to meet you.”

“Awesome!” Daniel says enthusiastically like a dog about to go out of the door for a walk. In fact, he is looking more and more like a big puppy and less like the Calvin Klein underwear model that Woojin would have thought him to be. “This is Seongwoo hyung. He’s from Incheon.” 

Daniel points to the guy who just spoke out, and introduces. Woojin lifts an awkward hand in greeting. “And the guy next to him is Minhyun hyung. He’s also from Busan.”

“So..the rumours are true.” Someone sitting in front of them suddenly turns and says. Woojin was not even aware that he has been listening in to their conversation. “They are picking two people from Busan this year.”

“Hey,” Daniel laughs. “Busan is a big city, man.”

“Your auditions must have been off the charts.” The guy in front adds in. “Two representatives from one state is unheard off.”

“Minhyun didn’t even want to compete at first.” Seongwoo says, strangely smug about it, like he is proud of his competition.

“What do you mean?”

“Well,” Daniel says. “Seongwoo hyung and I had been friends for a long time, and we did the audition rounds together, but we got into a fight one day, and he was all my Busan boyfriend can kick your ass in this competition and I was like prove it so he signed Minhyun hyung up and here we are.”

Ok. The proud-of-his-competition thing makes more sense now.

“You can always drop out.” The new guy says again. “I mean, if you really don’t want to compete.”

“That’s true,” Minhyun finally joins the conversation. “But the prize money is a lot and I am a model so this can really expand my network and connection.”

“Yes, but it’s not fair. Don’t you think? Some people had worked for this all their life.”

“This competition is in its 4th year.” Seongwoo scoffs. “Are you telling me we are competing against 5 years olds?”

“Look,” Daniel cuts in. “We are all chosen to enter this competition for a reason. We are good enough.” Woojin gulps. “And the one who is the best will eventually win. There’s no fair or unfair at this stage.”

The guy looks like he wants to argue further, but the bus comes to a stop in front of a huge mansion and other contestants break out into awed and excited murmurs.

Woojin shakes himself a little, and gathers up his backpack.

“You alright?” Daniel asks and Woojin nods in reply.

“Yeah, I just .. that guy was something, wasn’t he?”

“Well,” Daniel shrugs and puts his jacket on. “Nothing new, right?”

“I guess.” Woojin answer non-committedly and follows him out of the bus.

“Please gather round in the main lobby in about 10 minutes!” Jinyoung is yelling with a loudspeaker in the parking lot. “If you need to stretch your legs or go for a toilet break, please do that in 10 minutes, and gather yourselves. There are refreshments in the lobby. You can help yourself but most of them are sponsored, and not all of them taste that good.”

Jinyoung does not show any sign of recognizing Woojin when Woojin passes by him. Woojin is not even sure if he is just acting to not remember Woojin.

“So, Jinwoo…” Daniel calls, and it takes Woojin about 3 seconds to realize that Daniel is addressing him. “.. what’s your story?”

“Well..”

 

* * *

 

Woojin told Daniel that he is a dancer ( _really? Dude! Me too. We should totally meet up sometimes and film something!_ ), and that he is just looking to break out into the industry. Daniel immediately gave him 3 business cards of the heads of the popular dance crews in Seoul, and promises him to introduce to even more people.

“You don’t even know if I am any good.” Woojin tells him.

“No, but you are already selected to be here so you must have had impressed some people.” Daniel says, and Woojin can imagine Sungwoon’s face distorting in disgust. “Plus, you seem like a hard working kid. I like that most in people. People who work hard for what they want.”

Woojin does not even have to think twice when Daniel asks if he wants to room together later.

It is four people per room, so he will have to room with Seongwoo and Minhyun as well, but Woojin thinks they are quite chill too. There is something untouchable about them (it is the faces, Woojin thinks), and all Sungwoon’s words about aura and how one carries himself are starting to make a little more sense.

“Is there a problem?” Daniel asks, his tone suddenly 130% less friendly and Woojin turns to him in surprise before he realizes that Daniel must have seen him staring at Seongwoo and Minhyun, who are holding hands and whispering to each other.

“Oh.. no, no. No problem.” Woojin immediately says. The last thing he wants Daniel to think of is that he is homophobic. “I was just thinking that maybe if universe had put half the effort it did in making them as it did in me, I’d have like 40 fewer problems.”

Daniel’s face relaxes and he launches into small giggles. “They are actually big nerds, and you are not so bad yourself. If you are into guys, I did see a couple of guys check you out.”

“Wait. Who?” Woojin blinks. “Actually, you know what. Nevermind. I’m not interested.”

“Why not? You are not into guys or you have someone waiting for you at home?”

The only one waiting for Woojin is Jihoon, but only because he is supposed to check in after he has settled in, and Woojin does not think it counts.

“Neither. It’s just … I am not here to hook up.” Woojin shrugs. “You know, I am here to work… I mean, to work for my dream.”

“Yeah, I can get behind that.” Daniel nods and fist bumps him. “Respect, bro.”

Seongwoo and Minhyun come to stand next to them as Seongwoo nods towards the center stage raised in the main lobby. “I think it’s starting.”

“Hello. I think we do have everyone here.” Jinyoung says into the microphone. “Please welcome your host and the official consultant for the 2018 Mr. Korea, Ha Sungwoon.”

Flashes of cameras go off, and everyone break out into claps as Woojin sees Sungwoon stepping onto the stage, taking the center spot.

“God, he is even more beautiful outside the camera.” Daniel whispers next to him, and what?

Seongwoo scoffs, probably seeing Woojin’s dumbstruck expression. “Daniel has been in love since he was 20 and Ha Sungwoon went onto his first Law of the Jungle episode.”

“I am not in love.” Daniel hisses. “I just … admire him.”

Woojin knows … Woojin just knows that there has to be something wrong with Daniel. Nobody can be that perfect, and apparently, Daniel’s flaw is his heart.

“He really is beautiful though.” Daniel leans in with a grin and Woojin internally rolls his eyes. So was the evil queen from Snow White. Daniel, the pure sweet enthusiastic Daniel, would not last two minutes in the claws of Sungwoon.

Woojin is still bitter from having to just walk for 45 minutes straight yesterday. He had gone through less tough training exercises at the academy.

“Welcome.” The devil incarnate on the stage says. “.. to the 4th Annual Mr. Korea competition!”

Everyone breaks out into claps. Some even wolf whistles.

“Firstly, congratulations to each and everyone of you.” Sungwoon continues. “You have been handpicked as the best of the best to represent your city, and eventually all of South Korea. Every single one of you had made lasting impression on the judges and showed us the best that you can be…” Woojin does not think he is imagining it when Sungwoon’s eyes go around the room and kind of grimaces when they land on Woojin. “, so I am both very proud and thankful of you. We have chosen self growth and confidence as this year’s main focus and my one wish to see all of you grow into the better versions of yourselves after this competition has ended whether or not you have emerged a winner. But, if you do win, we are crowning you as the one and only Mr. Korea, and sending you home with 100 million wons in cash and a brand new Porsche, so you might want to try your best to win.”

It would not be that bad of a thing to win this actually if, you know, Woojin wants to try. A porsche sounds nice.

“Your daily schedule is in the orientation pack my assistant had distributed earlier.”

Woojin pulls out the file from the orientation pack Jinyoung thrusted into his hands earlier. Jesus - coaching session, photograph session, filming, 10-hour practice and 7-hour rehearsals.

Nevermind. He does not want a porsche that badly.

Sungwoon dismisses them while Woojin was reading through the hell schedule, and Daniel suggested that they go and put down their bags before exploring the resort they are staying in, so Woojin agreed, following out the 3 supermodels he had suddenly befriended.

“Baek Jinwoo. Can I talk to you for a second?” Sungwoon suddenly appears in front of him and Woojin swears, honest to god, that he can feel Daniel whimper a little.

“O...k.” Woojin nods, but Daniel is faster than him. “Hi. Mr. Ha Sungwoon. It is such an honour to be here, sir, and I am really a big fan.”

“Oh,” Sungwoon blinks, eyes fixed on Daniel. “Kang Daniel, right? Thank you for joining us.”

“No, no.” Daniel laughs, hand rubbing at the back of his neck. “I should be thanking you. Nobody would have blamed you if you just picked Minhyun hyung … Hwang Minhyun, I mean … to be the Busan representative, but you included me also, and I am very grateful for that.”

“Well,” Sungwoon smiles, and Woojin has to blink a couple of times to make sure that he is not seeing things. He hasn’t seen Sungwoon smile even once (that is not a smirk or a derisive laugh) over the past few weeks. “.. don’t tell anyone, but my vote carries the most weight, and I was very insistent on having you. Here. I mean, having you here.”

“Oh .. I…” Woojin nudges Daniel a little because it seems like his mouth does not work anymore. “...thank you, again. Really. Err. You wanted to talk to Jinwoo, right? I’m just gonna … wait outside.”

Sungwoon smiles after Daniel, and Woojin narrows his eyes even more. “Why do you never smile at me like that?”

Sungwoon blinks. “Because you are not a 6 foot tall puppy with eyes that crinkles when he smiles?”

“Wow, rude.” Woojin comments. “And you should not be commenting on anyone’s height...I am very sorry. I didn’t mean that.” Woojin hastily adds in when Sungwoon’s eyes harden. He might have known Sungwoon for a grand total of 7 days, but he knows what those eyes mean, and it is nothing good. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

“Your coaching sessions. There’ll be one in half hour, so you can go settle down first, and the go straight to Conference Room Orchid.”

Woojin reads the schedule sheet in his hand again. “It says here I’ll be coached by you in Conference Room Lily?”

“I am not coaching you. Do you want me to?”

“No, thank you very much.” Woojin answers quickly.

“I’ve talked to detective Park… the other detective Park, and we both agreed that it is best to use these sessions as your check-ins with him.”

“Oh, thank god.” Woojin exhales.

“Only because these are meant to be private coaching sessions. You’ll have to stick to other schedules.”

“Even the public appearances?” Woojin whines.

“I will tell you where all the cameras will be placed so you can avoid them.” Sungwoon sighs.


	5. Chapter 5

“How was your first day at school, darling?” Jihoon asks as Woojin closes the door behind him and locks it.

“Fuck off.”

“I thought Mr. Koreas are not allowed to swear?”

Woojin just gives him a middle finger and jumps into the empty chair next to Jihoon’s. “You are reading this damn letter again?”

“I am working on something.” Jihoon says before turning completely to face him. “No, but really, how was it? Did you get along with other kids? Did you listen to the teacher? Did you eat your vegetables?”

Woojin snorts. “It is all vegetables, dude. The only meat is the tiny tuna sandwiches.”

“Tuna is not meat.”

“Tell me about it.” Woojin scoffs. “Are you setting shop here? I thought you got a van.”

“I did. It’s parked outside, and I’ll have to spend most of my surveillance time on it. I don’t get the coverage for the whole compound here.”

“Bet you are bored out of your mind.” Woojin comments. “Is Jaehwan hyung taking any shift or?”

“He’s the secondary for this case, so I told him to focus on his main one for now. He says he’s really close.” Jihoon shrugs. “You know I don’t mind the wait like you do. It comes with the job.”

That is true. Police work is maybe 10% running and arresting and making breakthroughs (and 0% car chases), 40% waiting - on staking out or on waiting for various departments to get back on whether DNA results or profiling results, and 50% paperwork. The movie industry has gotten so many things wrong. But, Jihoon has always been better at the waiting part than Woojin is because Woojin thinks sitting still and doing nothing is the worst torture a man can handle.

Waxing definitely comes second.

“So. Update?” Jihoon asks again.

“Nothing much.” Woojin twirls in his chair. “I got to know some alright dudes, so that’s nice. I am rooming with them.”

“Ooh nice.” Jihoon nods. “Who are they, by the way? And what’s your room number? I will update you with the exit strategy tomorrow.”

“107.” Woojin answers. “We got the room on the ground floor, so exit strategy should be easy. I’m rooming with the two Busans and the Incheon.”

“Dude!” Jihoon gapes at him. “Did you go in and hog all the hotties?”

“They are not that hot!” Woojin lies blatantly. “You are also on a case. Think with your brain, and not your dick.”

“Yes, and my brain is saying that they are model specimen for men.” Jihoon counters back, and Woojin sulks. Jihoon talking about guys that he find attractive is nothing new. Jihoon has never been the one to shy away from his sexuality. But it never once gets easier, and Jihoon has seen Woojin in his both best and worst so it is not like Woojin can impress him any more than whatever damage he had already done.

Doesn’t mean he can’t be petulant about it though.

“Stop swooning and show me what you were working on.”

“I don’t swoon, asshole.” Jihoon grunts, and turns the laptop monitor towards Woojin. “Here, I was going through the letters again, and do you notice how much he actually talks about guys’ looks?

“Men should be strong and dependable, their characters should be what carry them. Allowing the beauty of the face or the smoothness of the skin to define a man is despicable and womanly.” Woojin reads out the line that Jihoon has highlighted and scoffs. “Doesn’t get any better no matter how many times I read it.”

“It continues in the same theme for all three letters.” Jihoon says. “It’s almost like this person is obsessed with how guys look.”

“What are you saying?”

“Do you know what kind of people most homophobes are?”

“Assholes?” Woojin guesses.

“Yes, but I am talking about internalized hatred.” Jihoon replies. “Religion and Culture teachings aside, it is people who hate themselves the most are the ones who lash out the most.”

“You think our perp is closeted?”

“Or deeply in denial.” Jihoon shrugs. “Compare this to like your regular baby boomers yelling about too many gays in the town.” Jihoon switches to another tab where there is another complaint / threat letter loaded. “I mean, none of them are easy reads, but this one does not contain two paragraphs on the non-virtue of a swimwear competition either.”

“Hmm,” Woojin leans back on his chair, and thinks. “I don’t think that’s a very far reach. Have you talked to the profile team about it?”

“I did.” Jihoon grins happily. He always gets like that when Woojin agrees with him on things. “I talked to Doyeon, and she says they are leaning towards middle-aged, educated but possibly gay or bisexual man.”

Woojin blinks. “Why don’t they just tell us that? That will narrow down our suspect pool by like, not a lot, but enough.”

“I think they want to be as sure as they can be before publishing the result.” Jihoon shrugs. “You know how profiling department works.”

“Not bad, Park Jihoon.” Woojin grins and high fives Jihoon. “Let’s just hope they are right so we can get a suspect list out and catch this son of a bitch before I go past Stage 1.”

“But I want to see you in your speedo.” Jihoon turns to him and pouts. Woojin does not squeeze Jihoon’s protruding lips with his fingers no matter how much he wants to.

He just kicks Jihoon’s chair leg until Jihoon loses balance and shrieks before holding Woojin’s head in a headlock.

 

* * *

 

 

Woojin spends the evening exploring the resort for the possible exit routes and blind spots. Even with a reality show going on and cameras being set up everywhere, there are still numerous blind spots, especially in the back stage and service areas which Woojin is a little uncomfortable with. At least most of the hallways and rooms have CCTV so they can keep an eye on anything suspicious. But, so far, the only suspicious thing he saw is a cleaner who definitely has drunk too much under the table.

He ran into Daniel on his way back to his room. Daniel has apparently come back from the gym, literally three hours after they had arrived on set, because he is hellbent on making Woojin feels lacking severely. Woojin hasn’t hit the gym in a long time, but now that he is not spending his days walking streets from streets interviewing witnesses or chasing down perps or taking the stairs to the DNA office at the 16th floor because he lost a bet with Jihoon, he probably should start going to the gym too.

“How was your coaching session?” Daniel asks. “Is it with Sungwoon hyung?”

Woojin imagines calling Sungwoon hyung; he does not live very long in his imagination.

“It was …” Woojin thinks for a little while, and decides to mix a little truth with the lie. “... brutal. Dude, you don’t know how difficult it is to satisfy him! He says I don’t know how to walk!”

“Well, he is a perfectionist. We all know that.” Daniel smiles ruefully and no, Woojin definitely did not care enough to know that. “But don’t you think it’s such a big opportunity that we get trained by him? I am so glad I joined this year.”

“Don’t tell me you joined because of him.” Woojin grimaces.

“Of course not. He’s just the cherry on top.” Daniel laughs. “I’ve wanted to join this since two years back.”

“Why though?” Woojin blurts. “I mean… you already have the face and the body and the whole sunshine in a bottle thing going on. Why would you want to get judged by thousands of people?”

Daniel blinks a while before breaking out into soft giggles. “Thank you? I just, well, there are plenty more people who are more attractive than me, and I want to stand out, I guess. Plus, the money and the connection that comes out of this competition does not hurt you know. Even if I don’t win, I can go back with a lot more contacts and a lot more people who know my face. Work might come easier after that.”

It is crazy for Woojin to think that someone that look like Kang Daniel cannot get work in an industry that values .. well, people that look like Kang Daniel, but surprisingly, that is what he has been hearing all today from the contestants that are around him. Some people even call it their last chance to make it or break it, and Woojin is very glad that Sungwoon insists on not kicking anyone out on his behalf. Sure, ultimately, only one of them is going to win, but everyone should at least end up with the feeling that they had tried their best.

“This is why our country is going downhill.”

Woojin hears the distinct voices and cranes his head to see a couple of older men - probably truck drivers, since they are standing right in front of parked trucks with open doors - standing around. A few of them are not even trying to hide the fact that they are looking straight at Woojin and Daniel.

“I know, hyung. This is why they should make the enlistment mandatory at 18 so boys grow up into men and not sissies.”

Woojin’s ears flared and he turned his course, but Daniel grips him hard on the shoulder and steers him away until they are far out of hearing range from those drivers.

“What the hell, hyung.” Woojin turns to Daniel and says. “They can’t be speaking like that.”

“Jinwoo,” Daniel sighs. “It’s not worth it.”

“It’s not about being worth it or not!” Woojin argues back. “They are being assholes. How are you not mad?”

“I am mad, but I am more exhausted, and we also have to get up at 7 tomorrow for fitting and photoshoot. Sometimes, we need to pick our battles, alright? And if you can’t handle a handful of grandpas shittalking, what are you going to do when there are thousands of people watching and judging you.”

Yeah, Woojin was trying very hard to forget about that. Thank you, Daniel.

“I will just die, I guess.” He mutters while Daniel laughs and throws an arm around him. Daniel might be able to let go of this, but Woojin is not, mostly because he is after a criminal whose lines of thoughts are not that different from those drivers.

He is pretty sure the logo on the trucks he quickly saw is from a cleaning supplies giant, which means these drivers are from a vendor of the resort, probably way before Mr. Korea is even held here. They checked through the list of vendors that Sungwoon gave them but that list only contains the vendors that only Mr. Korea has hired. It seems like a slight lack in judgement now because pre-existing vendors of the resort will definitely know the ins-and-outs of the resort, and it probably wasn’t very difficult for them to be know certain details about the program.

Woojin takes out his phone to shoot Jihoon a quick message to look into the resort vendor before he loses that train of thoughts.

“Ooh, is that why you said you aren’t interested in hooking up earlier?” Daniel says and Woojin blinks.

“Sorry.” Daniel says sheepishly before Woojin can even ask him what he means. “Didn’t mean to read over your shoulder, but your phone was … right there. Who’s he? He’s quite cute. You two look cute actually.”

“Oh..” Woojin mumbles, realizing that Daniel probably saw the contact picture for Jihoon that Woojin has on his phone.

Thank god Woojin is a very slow typer, and hasn’t gotten out what he wanted to type. They really should come up with codes for texts when they are undercover.

“He’s a friend.” Woojin just simply answers. Jihoon is grinning stupidly at him from the phone screen, wearing a stupid ass red stripe shirt, and holding a rubber duck while Woojin in the picture (more than a little drunk) tries to eat said duck. It was 2 years ago, when they went to the precinct Halloween party as Bert and Ernie - they definitely did not think things through and had to suffer months of ridicule, but it was deserving.

“He’s a police officer.” Woojin says. “Detective at the SMPA. He’s actually part of the task force for this event. You might see him around.”

They had been making plans to introduce Jihoon as the officer in charge for this events anyway so that the contestants can feel a little safe, and can report anything they are uncomfortable with. Plus, Woojin has to meet up with Jihoon a lot so if someone sees them, he needs to have some kind of alibi.

“Woah, really?” Daniel blinks. “That’s awesome. Have you seen him in his uniform?”

Woojin could do one better - he has seen Jihoon in Woojin’s uniform.

“Yeah, nothing remarkable.” Woojin comments, and Daniel just giggles because apparently, that is his instinctive response for everything.

“I bet he’d do very well if he is the one joining the competition.” Daniel says and pushes open the glass door to the hallway where their room is. “People like that kind of face.”

“I never noticed.” Woojin blatantly lies.

“Are you straight?” Daniel turns and narrows his eyes like he is accusing Woojin of something, which is trippy.

“Only sometimes.” Woojin assures him, and Daniel breaks out into a grin before unlocking their allocated room door.

“I can tolerate that as long as you don’t show off your straightness in front of me … oh my god, what the fuck, hyungs! This is a public place!”

“First of all,” Seongwoo is saying while attempting to dislodge himself from Minhyun, and honestly, Woojin thinks it is quite impressive of them to be able to get into .. that .. position in a bottom bunk bed that is barely taller than a toddler. “... this is Minhyun’s bed so it is not a public place. Second of all… I don’t have a second point actually.”

“Put your pants on.” Daniel groans and Woojin is at least glad that when Seongwoo drops the throw covering his bottom half, he still has his briefs on.

“Er..Jinwoo?” Minhyun, who has been sitting on the bed all this time with another throw pulled up to his neck to cover his modesty, calls and Woojin turns to look at him dumbly. “Can you hand me my sweatpants? They are on the table right behind you.”

“WE EAT ON THAT TABLE!” Daniel yells while Woojin obediently goes and fetches the pants.

“How’d they even got there?” Woojin mumbles as he hands them over.

“I was a pitcher in college.” Seongwoo says proudly. “Plus, you know I am doing something right if Minhyun lets me throw his Armani jeans across the room.”

“Ong Seongwoo. If you don’t shut up...” Minhyun says almost the same time as Daniel trying to cover Seongwoo’s entire face with the throw that he had just abandoned.

“Dude, gross.” Seongwoo says in disgust as he bats off Daniel’s hands. “My balls were rubbing on it.”

“Thank you.” Daniel groans and drops the throw like it is made of lava. “Now I have to go and amputate both my hands.”

“Are you sure there is no camera in the room?” Woojin blinks.

“The assistant guy …”

“Jinyoung.” Woojin reminds Seongwoo.

“Right. Jinyoung told us that they’d set up the cameras tomorrow. Why’d do you think we are .. you know, blazing it now?”

“Ergh, gross.” Daniel groans and flops onto the bottom bunk of the other bunk bed. “I should never have roomed with you guys.”

“Well then, you’d never be in the ace room.”

“What’s the ace room?” Woojin asks, sitting down on a chair, which hopefully wasn’t violated by Seongwoo and Minhyun.

“Our room, apparently.” Minhyun answers. “The other contestants call it that. They think we are the most dangerous.”

“What?” Woojin blinks as Seongwoo smiles proudly.

“Well, I mean, it makes sense. Daniel and Minhyun are the Busans, the first people that make the Mr. Korea committee bend a rule, and I am, well, me, just look at my face.”

Daniel scoffs.

“And Jinwoo, you..” Seongwoo says and Woojin shrinks in his seat a little.

“... you are a wild card.”

Woojin blinks.

“Nobody knows anything about you except for the fact that you look like you want to run away half of the time.”

That much is true.

“But you also know Ha Sungwoon. Everyone saw him talking to you in private just now. You are a mystery, and that makes you dangerous.”

“I am, truly, not dangerous, hyung.” Woojin says seriously even with the irony of having a working gun strapped to his calf right now. “I am just … you know … going with the flow.”

“Well, you are in the ace room,” Seongwoo grins and slaps Woojin on the back before grabbing his toiletry bag out. “...so that means you are now an ace in this competition too. Welcome to the next level, Baek Jinwoo.”

Fuck his entire life.


	6. Chapter 6

One thing Woojin is good at, even if he does not particularly or at all, enjoy, is having to wake up early or operate on maximum four hours of sleep. Sure, he might be grouchy and lethargic but that’s only before caffeine and right now, he does not feel like he even needs the caffeine with the ways people are rushing and yelling.

Man, he had worked shifts at the precinct on New Year nights and those were less chaotic than this.

It is barely 9 in the morning, and Woojin is getting led by a makeup slash stylist person to the corner of the studio where he is supposed to get sprayed with water like a dog getting bathed or something. Apparently, the concept of the profile shoot is “wet” - Woojin tries really hard not to think of the innuendos - so here he is, bright and early, getting sprayed with water by a woman who is probably as old as his mom and every time Woojin looks at her matter-of-fact professional face while she is squinting through her turtle-frame glasses to see which of Woojin’s pecs needs more … moisture, his soul leaves this plane of existence a little more.

“I think this is good.” She says and Woojin thanks her awkwardly before heading into the main section of the studio where there are way too many equipments and people crowding around a bathtub.

On hindsight, he really should not have said ok when they ask if he wanted to go first from his room. He just felt like not getting scared or pressured if he had to watch the other three actual and professional models from his room pose first. But jokes’ on him, because he is still scared shitless.

“Chin up.” Someone says and Woojin turns around to see Kim Donghan, another contestant that he talked to briefly during yesterday dinner. He was from one of the rooms that started even earlier than Woojin’s, so he is all done and wrapped up in a big fluffy bathrobe. “You look like you are about shit your white pants.”

“I am ok.” Woojin squeaks.

“Good luck,” Donghan says, inhaling the tall coffee cup in his arm like the smell of it is going to give him the energy he needs to deal with Woojin. “.. but fair warning though, the photographer is touchy.”

“Wait, what do you mean?” Woojin does not even get to finish his question before he is pulled / pushed to the center stage by several people.

“Save your chit chat for your nightly gossip sessions.” One of the assistants is yelling. “We have 22 more people to shoot in the next three hours! Get with it, people.”

“Ok. Ok.” Woojin mumbles and climbs into the bathtub. “Sorry. How do you want me?”

“Lie down, with one of your legs out.” The photographer comes closer, almost hovering over Woojin, and Woojin gulps. He does not look like a creep - he doesn't really stand out or is noticeable in any more way, but there is something about the way he is narrowing his eyes at Woojin makes Woojin feels uneasy.

Woojin just chokes it up to Donghan scaring him away just now.

“That’s good.” The photographer says, and aims his ridiculously big lens at Woojin from above. “I need a stool. Kid, open your top two buttons.”

“Erm..” Woojin mumbles because he has already left the three topmost buttons opened and opening two more basically mean his shirt is one button away from being open. Still, he does it because well, that dude is a professional photographer, right? He probably knows what he is doing.

“Not like that.” The photographer grunts and leans down until his rough hands are pulling Woojin’s shirt to be open even more and Woojin does not think the petting on his abs is not necessary, but maybe this is just how things are and he probably is just being an idiot feeling uncomfortable, so he lets it go.

The dude also lets go of his abs soon and signals an assistant to bring over a stool so he can step up and position the camera directly on top of Woojin. Woojin lets out a small exhale of relief.

Except it does not end there, and everytime the photographer steps down from the stool to arrange Woojin into a position, either his chest or his arms are being touched and gripped, and Woojin tries to shrink back a little, not wanting to draw attention to himself, but god, the dude is persistent. Woojin does not even remember how long each of them are allocated for their profile shoot, but it cannot be this long, right?

“Can your face do anything but scared?” The photographer asks, and Woojin blinks, trying to settle into a smile.

“Never mind. Don’t do that.”

Wow, yes, ok.

“Turn onto your stomach.” The photographer says after a quick succession of shots. “I want an ass shot.”

Woojin hopes the grimace does not show on his face, but he is not sure so he busies himself with turning onto his stomach in an already confined space. It is a little tight and slippery from the water dripping down to his hands so he is struggling a little - probably looking like a fish caught in a net - trying to get a foodhold when he feels something grossly warm on his cold ass in the shape of a hand.

This definitely .. probably is not normal.

“What the fuck!” Woojin grunts out when the hand starts to go into the squeezing territory and his instincts kick in enough for him to steady himself and grab the wandering hand at the wrist. “What the hell do you think you are doing man?!”

“I was helping you get into position!” The photographer dude yells out, probably because Woojin has twisted his fucking pervy hand under his back.

“Really?” Woojin grunts and twists his hand a little harder. His tolerance threshold is never that high, and he does not come here to be groped by a guy probably as old as his dad. It is humiliating and maddening, and he has reached his breaking point.

“Let me go, you psycho! I told you I was just helping!”

“My ass definitely did not need your help!” Woojin yells back, but people are staring at them, probably stunned before their senses kick in and Woojin gets chewed out, so he let the asshole go with a shove. “I can move by myself just fine.”

“No.” The photographer turns to him and he looks far too angrier than Woojin was expecting. “You cannot. You are out. I refuse to take another goddamn picture of your shitty face.”

“Hey!” Suddenly, there is a 6’ foot tall wet golden retriever in the form of Kang Daniel in between Woojin and the photographer. “He was just startled because you laid your hand on him. Please just finish the shoot.”

“How are you going to work with that attitude in this industry, huh?” The dude pushes past Daniel and yells in Woojin’s face. “I can make you never see the inside of a studio again!”

“I didn’t know getting groped on was the prerequisite to the industry.” Woojin yells back.

“Jinwoo, calm down.” Daniel turns to him and says.

“What’s going on here?”

“You!” The photographer asshole suddenly turns on his heels towards his new target. “Where did you get your trash models from, huh? They have no respect to their seniors. Here, look at my hand. I take photos with this hand!”

“Don’t talk about my contestants in that way.” Sungwoon says firmly before turning to Woojin with ice in his eyes. “What happened, Jinwoo?”

“He…” Woojin says. He was angry just now, he still is, but it is difficult to recount right now, with all the eyes on him, most of them judging.

“He was touching Jinwoo inappropriately.” Daniel cuts in for him, and Woojin is thankful. “And Jinwoo .. kind of .. erm …”

“I twisted his hand.” Woojin calls out. “I am sorry. It was instinctive.”

Sungwoon’s face is unreadable.

“If you don’t train your little whores well...”

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll never point your finger to my face again..” Sungwoon snaps. “..and I’ve already told you not to call my contestants anything disparaging. Also, I did not hire you to grope my contestants.”

“I was helping his pathetic little ass out so he can look halfway decent in the pictures!” The photographer yells.

“But, you did it to all of us.” Donghan pipes up. “I mean, my abs probably still have your fingers imprint.”

“You enjoyed it, you fucking homo!”

Oh, great. This morning is just getting better and better. When does the world stop so Woojin can get off it?

“That’s it.” Sungwoon says. “You are fired. Pack your things and go, and I’ll…”

“Fired?” The photographer yells. “Are you kidding me? You have an exclusive contract with my agency.”

“And your agency has more than one decent photographers, so I am gonna ask your CEO to send me ones who are not gigantic shithole excuse of a human being. And if he can’t, I’ll sue the crap out of your midtier agency for inappropriate work conducts and harassment until every single one of you end up under the Mapo bridge begging for spare change, so get out of my sight while I am still asking nicely.”

It is nice, for a change, to watch Sungwoon’s anger pointed at someone else who is not Woojin. The photographer opens and closes his mouth for a couple of times before he shakes his head and laughs in this creepyass i-am-the-man-who-watches-you-from-the-bush way, and turns to pack his things.

“I can tell they all like it, you know.” He is still muttering and Woojin considers just knocking this dude out and facing the consequences later. “Bunch of homos just waiting for a real man to touch ..”

“Jinyoung. Can you please call security?” Sungwoon cuts in loudly. “And tell them to bring duct tape.”

“You will regret this, Ha Sungwoon.”

Sungwoon ignores him, which probably is the smart thing to do, even though Woojin would rather be dumb if it means he can punch this dude in the face.

Eventually, the photographer and the assistants that come with him left, probably because the resort security responded to Jinyoung’s walkie talkie that they are on their way.

“Well, seems like all of you just get a morning off.” Sungwoon turns and says, breaking down the awkward atmosphere. “I am sorry some of you had to go through that, and we should have been more careful from our end to ensure things like this do not happen so I apologize for that, and I take full responsibility for it.”

Woojin wishes he has his phone nearby so he can record that very rare few sentences.

“Before we can arrange a new photographer, all photoshoots will be postponed.” Sungwoon says, face tight. “But your coaching sessions will continue and we will replace the photoshoot slots with more practice sessions.”

Everyone groans except for Woojin because that means he gets to hang out with Jihoon more this week.

“But you do have an hour off now for brunch before your schedule resumes at 11, so take a little break.” Sungwoon adds in. “I’ll have Jinyoung set out your new scheduled before lunch. That’s all.”

People start to filter out, and Woojin runs to catch up to Sungwoon.

“Sungwoon. Mr. Ha. Sir. I am so sorry.” Woojin whispers. “I didn’t want to cause trouble. It’s just..”

Sungwoon gives him a stare before pulling him into one of deserted corner of the studio, which Woojin assumes, is to give him an earful.

“I’ll say this only once, so listen carefully.” Sungwoon hisses. “You do cause a lot of troubles for me, way more than one.”

“Sorry?”

“But this is not one of it. You are not in the wrong here.”

“Really?” Woojin blinks. “I mean, of course, I know I am morally in the right, but all the stuff he was talking about the industry and all ..”

“There is no grey area in this, detecti… Jinwoo. You did not do anything wrong, and I am actually glad you stood up. I am not sure if any other contestant would have.”

“I don’t think they ..”

“I am not saying they think it is right, but well, like you said, the industry. It is the ugly elephant in the room that we pretend to not exist.”

“Will you be fine though?” Woojin narrows his eyes. “I mean, he seemed quite mad.”

“Yeah. I have sacrificed years of my life to gain some standing and reputation here to be knocked down by some second grade mall-beauty shoot photographers like him. I actually fought for someone with a little more diversity in their portfolio from the media agency, but they insisted, and I thought I’d let the guy try for one shoot.”

“Did you send this agency in your vendor list?” Woojin asks.

“Yes. They all come back mostly green, I remember that.”

“Well, too bad background checks do not cover personality.” Woojin scoffs and immediately shuts his mouth when he sees Jihoon stomping in into the studio. “Er.. sorry. Gotta go.”

Jihoon looks pissed, which is not exactly a new look, but still makes Woojin runs to him. “Hey! What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here? What … are you fucking crazy, you idiot?” Jihoon hisses, and Woojin shushes him hurriedly.

“Dude, shut up. Let’s go somewhere else.”

Unfortunately, Daniel has sneaked his way (he can be so fucking sneaky for someone his size if he wants to be) into the corner that Sungwoon and Woojin were talking earlier, and is now saying something to Sungwoon who is smiling (again!?). So, Woojin just leads Jihoon outside right next to the pool which is deserted because the sun is on their head and no one sane is going into the pool right now.

“The resort security contacted me.” Jihoon says once they are out of the earshot of wandering ears. “Woojin, what the hell!”

“Hey, it wasn’t my fault!” Woojin says immediately because he feels like protecting his honour first.

“Do you think I’d say it is your fault?” Jihoon hisses. “I heard everything. Man, how dare that bastard do that and also, why is he not in fucking jail?”

“Hey, hey.” Woojin rushes in to calm Jihoon down. “It’s fine.”

“It is not.” Jihoon breathes out. “You should not have gone through any of that. Fuck. Maybe this was a mistake to give you this undercover.”

“First of all,” Woojin says, stern. “You didn’t give me this assignment. The captain did, and I survived going undercovers for two whole gangs. I will survive some pervy old dude.”

“I know you can, but ..” Jihoon sighs, and ruffles his messy brown hair. His hair is growing out again and Woojin wants to tug at it. “.. I worry, you know that. And this is not just the expected violence…”

“Hey, I’d take an ass grope over a gunshot any day.” Woojin says and quickly adds in. “I am kidding. Stop looking like that. Listen, I know you worry about me, and that’s nice, but I can handle myself despite, you know, giving you way too many reasons to not seem like it.”

“I know you can.” Jihoon breathes out. “Are you ok? I’m sorry. Should have led with that question.”

“I’m fine.” Woojin smiles. “I was just angry but I kicked that dude’s butt, and Sungwoon went off at him, which was glorious, by the way. Shame you did not get to see that. And he’s fired, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Fine.” Jihoon says. “If anything like that happens again..”

“Then, I’ll kick their ass again. I promise.”

Jihoon smiles a little before sighing. “Jaehwan hyung is coming over today to the van and we’ll look into that resort vendor list you got last night. Come check in when it is time.”

“Boring background check works with my favorite people?” Woojin grins. “How can I resist?”

 

* * *

 

Woojin heads to the dining hall afterwards because he is starving, and his next session for wardrobe fitting for their first live show next week is not until 1 in the afternoon.

He spots Seongwoo and Minhyun eating at a table, so he grabs about four croissants and three sausages before heading to that table. God bless brunch buffets at least - there is considerably fewer vegetable variations than lunch or dinner.

“Are you sure you can finish all that?” Minhyun asks as Woojin throws his first croissant into his mouth and drown it with his orange juice. “Never mind.”

“Hey, that dude with you just now…” Seongwoo leans in and asks. “Isn’t that the wink police?”

“Wink police?” Woojin blinks.

“The police who winks.” Seongwoo shrugs. “Whatever. I can’t remember his nickname.”

“Winkboy.” Woojin mumbles.

“So, it is him, huh?” Seongwoo raises an eyebrow. “Those were the most ridiculous videos, by the way, you know. Who talks about how to stay safe during an emergency and then wink?”

“They are some of the most viewed videos SMPA had produced actually.” Woojin says. “... which is a fact I know because he, my friend who is a detective, told me.”

“You know you are a little weird, right?” Seongwoo comments plainly.

“I’ve been informed, yes.” Woojin nods and finishes his third croissant before starting on his sausage.

“Hey, Jinwoo.” Someone slides into the empty seat next to him and Woojin turns his head to see Daniel sitting down next to him. “Did your police friend want to check on you?”

“Right.” Woojin nods. “Yeah, he wanted to check up on me because he heard what was going on. He’s working as the safety officer in charge for this event.” He turns to Seongwoo and Minhyun to say as an explanation. “Actually, if you guys ever run into something like this, or just, I don’t know, feel something isn’t right, you can tell Jinyoung and report to him. He’d help you out.”

“I hope you know how lucky you are,” Minhyun says with a smile into his coffee. “I thought you were being recklessly brave, but now it makes sense. It’s not always that you have someone like that on your side.”

“Minhyun doesn’t like cops.” Seongwoo murmurs. “With good reason. He was one of the organisers for the Pride March back in 2014.”

“You mean when the bombing happened?” Woojin’s eyes widened.

“I was a couple of blocks away when it went off, but yea,” Minhyun shakes his head. “I spent days and nights, you know, at the police station just to beg any detective coming my way to look into it a little harder or just publicly denounce the bomber and give us a reasonable protection squad so we can proceed with our event, but all my requests got denied.”

“I am sorry, hyung.” Woojin mumbles. He feels helpless even though it truly was out of his control in the past and he cannot do anything to change the past now.

“I… well, actually, I think a lot of them are still like that, but Jihoon is trying to change that. Him and a few others.”

“Best of luck to them, then.” Minhyun just smiles and even Daniel does not mock when Seongwoo leans over to rub at Minhyun’s arm.

“Here’s the Oolong tea you requested, sir.” A waiter comes and hands Daniel a thermal, which Daniel takes with a mumbled thanks.

“Since when do you drink Oolong tea or any tea that isn’t coffee?” Seongwoo narrows his eyes at him.

“It’s not for me.” Daniel shrugs. “I have a coaching session with Sungwoon hyung in 15 minutes, and he likes Oolong tea. I read it in an interview, and he seems a little shaken earlier, so I wanted to get him something he likes.”

“Isn’t it because he’s the brand ambassador for that really gross tea brand?” Minhyun offhandedly comments. “Maybe he doesn’t even like tea.”

“Yeah, I always saw him only drinking coffee.” Woojin adds in to comment, and immediately regrets when Daniel’s face falls.

“You two are breaking the baby’s fragile brain.” Seongwoo scoffs. "It's alright, buddy. Take your weird tea to your weird crush. I’m sure he’ll appreciate it.”

Woojin wanted to ask Seongwoo if he is sure, but Daniel looks pleased again, and he does not want to make Daniel feel bad again, so he keeps quiet, and pretends not to notice Minhyun grimacing when he gets up again to get more food.

Whatever. An angry man is a hungry man, he’ll just sweat it off at the gym later.

 

* * *

 

Woojin is a little (read: 35 minutes) late to the check in because the fitting took longer than expected. The lead designer, Lee something, made Woojin change into more pants than he had ever changed pants in a week until it satisfies him enough. As for Woojin, he stops being able to differentiate between the pants he was trying on by like the 10th pair, and he does not even remember what the final settled outfit looked like.

Then, he had to run back to his room to get his weapon strapped back before checking in with Jihoon, so when he finally barged into the conference room, half panting, Jihoon looks already pissed.

“In my defense,” Woojin takes a deep breath and says. “... I did text you that the fitting overruns.”

“Whatever. I didn’t expect anything from you.” Jihoon says primly and turns in his chair.

“Ouch,” Woojin comments dramatically. “You wound me.. Hold on. Are these donuts? Jihoon! You are the best.”

“Jaehwan hyung bought them before coming over.” Jihoon shrugs. “I hope you are ashamed of living up to every dumb cop with a donut stereotype.”

“Donuts have been the love of my life even before I become a cop.” Woojin shrugs and gleefully eyes the lines of donuts in the plastic box. Thank you, Jaehwan hyung. He even got some of Woojin’s favorites. “Maybe I did become a cop because I love donuts too much.”

“That is a worrisome motivator.” Jihoon comments. “If you are finished  _ orgasming _ over fried calories, come here. I am almost done with the background check. Most of them seem ok, but I can’t locate the exact truck drivers you mentioned because they are all contract-based and change every week or so.  There’s a whole union of them to go through.”

“Well, didn’t really ask the name of the grandpa who was shittalking the pageant, so I can’t exactly help you out there.” Woojin says and sits down next to Jihoon. 

“Jaehwan hyung is off to talk to some of them. He says he wanted to do some field work, so let’s see what he can get out of them. You know he can play the douchebag cover alarmingly well.”

“I appreciate the sacrifice he’s made for the good of this country.” Woojin says seriously and Jihoon scoffs before pushing a list with a few companies written down in front of Woojin.

“These are the ones that are left for background check.”

“Do I have to?” Woojin whines. 

“Do you honestly think there is a chance that my answer will be no, Woojin?” Jihoon turns and blinks his eyes innocently at him.

“I hate you.” Woojin comments and finishes his donut before opening up the laptop Jihoon is handing him with way too much glee, and prepares to do some awesomely boring data entry and searching police work.

 

* * *

 

He does not find anything suspicious in the background check for any of the company he was following up with, and the slotted hour is up before Woojin has made plans with Daniel to practice on his dancing, so he leaves Jihoon in the midst of the paperwork with a not-so-heavy heart. On his way to the makeshift dance practice room that he has planned to meet with Daniel at, Woojin spots  Jaehwan through the clear walls of the elevator, probably heading back to the van after he went and talked to some of those truckers, so he quickly texts Jaehwan to thank him for the donut and to ask if he found anything conclusive.

>> _ They are assholes.  _ Jaehwan’s helpful message replies.

>> _ But i don’t think they are our perp, no. they seem a bit too dumb for any planning or writing or vocabulary _

That is a little more helpful, but still not very encouraging.

_ >> also i didnt buy u donuts???? jh calls and asks me to go buy them before i come over. i even had to take a u-turn bk to go to that specific shop. ur bff is weird, man. _

Oh.


	7. Chapter 7

Woojin ranks a whole 26 out of the 30 contestants for his first runway stage. Given that one of the contestants literally tripped and had to be carried down from the stage (he was understandably the 30th), Woojin does not think he fucked up that badly. He even ranks higher than three other contestants who didn’t trip or fall, so he thinks he deserves a little merit here even if he says so himself.

“So, Woojin,” Jihoon turns his chair in a circle, which is ridiculous because they are in the van - Jihoon somehow gets a rolly chair in the fucking van, and it just makes him look like a surprisingly younger (and Asian) James Bond’s villain. “Does your face always look like you are constipating or are you doing something new to attract the ladies in the crowd? Oh, wait, don’t tell me you actually were constipated?”

“I told you to delete that footage.” Woojin grunts.

“I did.” Jihoon blinks innocently. “See, I am watching the videoI uploaded to the internal chat room before I deleted it.”

Yes. Woojin had already expected this so he is not even surprised. Plus, the whole thing is on Youtube, and Woojin is pretty sure his mind, no matter how willful, can wipe out a video that has been out on the internet.

“Any update on your end?” He settles on asking a case question instead. He had spent the last week of his time here talking to the contestants as both potential attacker and witness. They hadn’t exactly ruled out the possibility that their perp is a contestant even though Woojin is keeping it at a low possibility. But nobody stood out to him, even Hyungseob, who made that one comment about the two Busans on the bus, turned out to be quite a nice dude. A little too enthusiastic but nice. Nobody seems to be aware of any suspicious person or behaviour either and Woojin cannot dig too deep without compromising his cover, so basically, the contestant angle is mostly a bust.

“Yes. I am bored out of my fucking mind!” Jihoon grunts. “I’ve already memorized all three threat letters. Like I can’t tell you what’s 9 multiplied by 7, but I can recite you the entire three middle paragraphs of letter number 2.”

“Please don’t.” Woojin mumbles.

“Look. I am starting to think maybe this was a false lead.” Jihoon says in a low voice. “I jumped the gun. Pushed the captain into this whole mission and …”

“Hey…” Woojin pushes his chair closer to Jihoon. “... don’t do that. Don’t go spiralling down in that head of yours. I mean there isn’t much depth to go down, but ..”

Jihoon glares at him. “I am being serious, Woojin.”

“Sorry,” Woojin mumbles. “Maybe this really is a false lead, but that’d mean no one would get hurt. Shouldn’t we be glad about that?”

“It’s not like I want my stupid brain to be correct and get people hurt.” Jihoon pouts. “I just … if I am wrong, I just wasted so much police resource and the captain’s trust in me, and your time.”

“Hey, I’ve already wasted years of my life on you. What’s a few months?” Woojin grins. “And you were proactively trying to protect people because you thought there was a risk. Whether or not there is a real danger, you did the thing you thought was right. I’m sure the captain knows and appreciates that. You know what he always says - be wrong about ten different leads instead of missing one true lead.”

“I know.” Jihoon sighs, and Woojin can tell the consecutive working and being confined for monitoring duties are probably getting to Jihoon. Jaehwan is helping out as the secondary but his main case just got a major break so he has not been around much. “I’m just .. sick of being stuck in here just looking at the same 40 CCTV screens.”

“Let’s talk to captain, and get someone else assigned as secondary.” Woojin decides. “I mean, I know Jaehwan hyung is capable but it’s not fair to pull him off of the case he’s been working on for months. And you can’t keep doing this. Plus, didn’t Doyeon say they are expecting the full analysis on the profiling out by next week? It’s gonna get busier, so you need a more stable secondary.”

“I don’t know, man. This is the first time I got assigned primary on a case. I don’t want to make it seem like I can’t handle it.”

It is always weird seeing Jihoon like this because Jihoon is one of the strongest - both physically and mentally - people that Woojin knows. He has never been afraid of knowing what he wants, and going after it. Woojin sometimes envies that about him.

But at the end of the day, Jihoon is human too, and every time he hints at the more vulnerable sides of him to Woojin, Woojin is a little sad, but also, so fucking glad that Jihoon trusts him enough with that, and at least, is not hiding inside of himself, allowing it to chew him up (unlike a certain other person he sees in the mirror everyday).

“Jihoon, even you can’t handle an entire case. I am not seeing this as some kind of diss or joke. Even the best detectives have partners and secondarys and entire team that help them out. If you are a good primary and more importantly, a good detective, you should know when to ask for help.”

Jihoon pulls his feet up to the chair, curling into himself like he used to always do back at the Academy when he is feeling particularly down. “Are you giving me a pep talk?”

“You don’t like it?” Woojin asks.

“We were fighting like two minutes ago.” Jihoon laughs. “Over your damn walk, and now we are having a heart to heart.”

“Isn’t that normally us though?” Woojin laughs back. “And we don’t fight, ok? We … bicker.”

“Bickering is for old married couple.” Jihoon wrinkles his nose. “And that’s gross.”

“Exchange intellectual insults?”

“Better.” Jihoon smiles. “I’ll check in with Jaehwan hyung over the week. He’s planning a bust on Saturday so if all goes well, he’ll be useful again and runs the db searches for me.”

“Ah.. yes, it is not how many robbery gangs he can take down, but how much he can help you out, that’s the true measurement of his value in SMPA.”

“Now, you are getting it.” Jihoon nods before stretching his legs again. He looks soft and warm in that oversize hoodie that he has buried himself in, despite the fact that Woojin can clearly see the gun he has holstered in his belt.

Jihoon has always been an amalgam of opposites to Woojin - soft and dangerous, pretty and scary, close and off-limit.

“I’m gonna head back out.” Woojin says and gets up. Jihoon looks up at him with a slight pout. “I don’t know how long I can get away with this night walk thing.”

Since the next stage is personal talent, there isn’t many coaching sessions. The only time Woojin can sneaked out to check in with Jihoon is during night after his dance practice with Daniel gets done. He probably did the wrong strategic move when he agreed to practice dancing with Daniel, but he can’t say it’s a mistake he particularly regrets. He really hasn’t set a foot in a dance studio for months, and he had missed it more than he cares to admit. He had left his previous crew because he was getting extremely busy back then, and didn’t want to hold them back, but he might have to consider rejoining after this.

“Hey, since we are getting a personal day off on Sunday,” Woojin says Jihoon because he still looks a little down. “.. do you want to go out? We haven’t gone out drinking in a while. I’ve also been wanting to go down to a shooting range to practice.”

Jihoon blinks. “I hope you are not planning to do those things in that order.”

“No,” Woojin rolls his eyes. “We’ll go to the shooting range, then have a nice dinner, and go drinking.”

“You just want to show off in the shooting range.” Jihoon scoffs but he is also smiling. “Put a movie in the list, and I am good. I want to see that new horror film.”

“Spend the entirety of my one day off with you?” Woojin raises an eyebrow. “What sin I have committed to deserve this?”

“You’d only be so lucky.” Jihoon sticks his tongue out, already reaching for his phone. “I’ll book us movie tickets for Sunday afternoon?”

“Cool.” Woojin shrugs. “I’ll see you tomorrow same time?”

Jihoon nods and waves him off, so Woojin opens the van door, and steps out into the humid night air. Summer is going out of its way but the air is still humid and warm. He thinks of getting a quick swim in the pool to cool down, but he is already tired from a whole day of dance practice so he just heads back to his room.

Minhyun and Seongwoo are huddle over a tablet when Woojin gets back into the room. This has been their default for past few days. Seongwoo wanted to read one of the graphic novels Minhyun is reading on his tablet, and Minhyun says it is just an opportunity for Seongwoo to cuddle up with him, but most of the times Woojin sees them, Minhyun is nagging at Seongwoo to read faster so he can turn the page, so Woojin is not even sure what goes on in their two brains.

“It’s sweltering outside,” Minhyun turns and says when he sees Woojin coming in. “Why would you want to go for a walk in this weather?”

“I like it.” Woojin just shrugs.

“You are weird.” Minhyun comments, and goes back to his tablet, but Seongwoo catches his hand before he can swipe to turn the page.

“Hyung, you drink spinach juice.” Woojin laughs and reaches for his pyjamas. “You don’t get to talk about weird habits.”

“It’s good for you!”

“If god wants us to drink spinach,” Woojin says seriously. “He wouldn’t have made it a leaf.”

“Kid’s got a point, hyung.” Daniel, hanging out on Woojin’s lower bunk, laughs and gives Woojin a fist bump. Minhyun glares at the both of them.

“He’s …” Minhyun says but nevers get to finish his sentence in the sudden darkness that encompasses them.

“What the hell?” Daniel murmurs as Woojin stiffens and immediately reaches for the gun he has strapped to his thigh under his sweatpants. “Is it a blackout?”

“Stay here.” Woojin hisses, and rushes to the door, shouldering it open. There are people who are peering into the dark hallway from the other ways, their confused faces illuminated only by the street lamps outside. Woojin’s phone pings and he looks down to see Jihoon’s messages.

>> _main power cut at the electric room. I’m otw now. Stay at the living hall & keep a look out_

They all agreed that 24/7 in-ears will be an overkill, but damn, one would come in handy right now. Woojin heads towards the main door that leads to the outside of the resort they are staying in, and takes a quick look around. There doesn’t seem to be anyone around except for the two resort security guards he knows by face who are flashing their flashlights and looking around.

“Seems like just a temporary blackout.” One of them shouts towards Woojin. “We have a backup generator so .. oh there it is.”

Voices murmur as the lights come back on, and Woojin turns to see people going back into their rooms. Woojin says his thanks to the security guard, and goes back into his own room.

“Just a blackout,” He tells to the hyungs in the room, and they nod, obviously not thinking much about it. But Woojin is uneasy. Jihoon specifically said that the main power is cut even if he doesn’t specified by whom. Jihoon hasn’t contacted him again, and Woojin knows better than to contact Jihoon now when he is possibly doing some investigation.

He goes out of the room under the pretence of getting a shower, but mostly just paces in an empty corridor, torn between finding either Jinyoung or Sungwoon and staying here and making sure nothing happens to the people here.

Luckily, Sungwoon finds him first when he steps in through the main door.

“What’s going on?” Woojin rushes in front of him and asks before Sungwoon can even open his mouth. “Have you seen Jihoon?”

“Yes. He’s in the main office. He says he’ll brief you tomorrow morning.” Sungwoon whispers. “Someone cuts the power, and leaves another letter.”

“Fuck,” Woojin says with feelings. “Did anyone see …”

“No, they are combing through the security footage now, but that’ll obviously take a while.”

“Is there…” Woojin asks but Sungwoon cuts him off.

“I don’t know anything more than you do, detective. I’m just here to make sure my contestants are ok.”

“Yeah, ok,” Woojin nods and gives way so Sungwoon can go do whatever he is here to do. He does understand that Jihoon probably would not let Sungwoon know anything he considers critical to the case. His best chance now is to let Jihoon do his job and wait until he is instructed on his next steps, so he just shoots a quick text to Jihoon to call him and goes back to his room while Sungwoon knocks on the door of one of the other rooms.

Jihoon texts him back a couple of minutes later, much to Woojin’s relief, but he does not say anything that Woojin does not already know, so that’s not very helpful. He did ask Woojin to meet him in the previous conference room they used to meet under the pretense of a coaching session tomorrow at 9 in the morning.

When Sungwoon knocks on their door, Woojin goes to open it after questioning gazes from the hyungs.

“Is everyone alright?” Sungwoon asks, and Minhyun answers with an affirmative yes. “Sorry about that earlier. There was just a small problem with the power line. We are all good now.”

“That’s good to know.” Daniel pipes in. “You don’t have to come down all the way, hyung.”

“Jinyoung went home for the evening.” Sungwoon smiles back, and honestly, Woojin is not even tripping out anymore when Sungwoon smiles because he does that so freaking often around Daniel.

“Baek Jinwoo,” Sungwoon calls and Woojin turns to him dumbly. “We are having a special coaching session for contestants that are in the 20 percentile tomorrow.”

“Brave of you to assume I know what a percentile is..” Woojin mumbles.

“It means,” Sungwoon sighs. “You are scheduled a coaching session tomorrow at 9. Don’t be late.”

“Oh….” Woojin mumbles. “... right. Gotcha.”

Sungwoon glares at him a little bit more before bidding good night, and turns to leave.

“Hyung!” Daniel rushes past Woojin so quickly that Woojin almost falls down from the momentum. “I’ll walk you back to your room.”

“I..” Sungwoon blinks up. “That’s not necessary.”

“But it’s late, and ..” Daniel mutters.

“Daniel, I made it all the way through the five minute walk here.” Sungwoon says sternly. “I’ll survive my way back just as well.”

“I ..” Daniel mumbles. “... of course. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have …”

“Have a good night, ok?” Sungwoon says. “It’s only two more days until you get your break on Sunday, so just hold on there for a little while.”

Woojin nods and closes the door after him, and watches a dejected Daniel climbs up into his top bunk.

“I don’t think he likes me very much.”

“That’s not true, hyung.” Woojin immediately responds to Daniel. “I’ve known him for a while, and he’s .. different with you.”

“You never told us how you know Ha Sungwoon, actually.” Seongwoo squints his eyes and asks.

“Erm..family friend.” Woojin grimaces. “But like distinct family… very distinct family. The twice-removed cousin of my uncle’s stepmom kind of thing.”

“Could explain why he is always a little harsher on you.” Minhyun says. “He probably expected the best out of his family.”

“You noticed?” Woojin grunts. “Also, I am not his family. Don’t say that in front of him, please.”

“Of course, not.” Minhyun scoffs. “I’m not dumb. Can you imagine the rumour mill if it gets out that one of the contestants is his distant relatives?”

No, Woojin definitely has not imagined that, and now, he has to make sure Sungwoon never gets a wind of this stupid ass lie. He should have just said they met in some random book club, or something.

“Which is,” Minhyun continues. “...also the reason why you need to stop sulking, Daniel. You know he’s keeping you at an arm’s length because it’s inappropriate for him as the guy judging the competition you are participating.”

“How’d you know that?” Daniel mumbles. “He probably just does not like me.”

“Daniel,” Seongwoo sighs. “How many people have actually rejected your advances? Tell me.”

“None of them is Ha Sungwoon.”

“Hyung, you are ridiculous, really.” Woojin pipes in. “You can charm the pants off of anyone,and I’ve only known you for what, a week at most. Plus, like I said, I had never seen Sungwoon actually smile around anyone but you.”

“Thank you, Jinwoo.” Daniel mumbles.

 “Oi. Where’s my thanks?” Seongwoo pipes up. “See, this is why I never say anything good about you.”

Daniel just scoffs.

“So, should I just …” Daniel speaks after a short while. “.. wait until this is over? I mean, I do have his number, so it can’t be that difficult to keep in touch, right?”

“That might be for the best.” Minhyun nods. “No conflicts of interest, right? If you feel that he is still cold to you even after the competition, maybe then and only then, you should start doubting about what he feels about you.”

“And if that happens, I’ll pester him until he agrees to date you, don’t worry.” Seongwoo interjects encouragingly.

“That’s not how dating works.” Minhyun turns to glare at Seongwoo.

“Really? Cause I’m pretty sure that’s how I got you.” Seongwoo grins like a particularly accomplished wolf and Woojin swears that Minhyun goes a little red.

“See. Even when they are supposed to be talking about me, they end up being like that.” Daniel sighs from his bed. “My life is difficult, Jinwoo.”

Woojin scoffs. “All my sympathies, hyung.”

“Do you really think …” Daniel says in a low voice, and Woojin turns his head so he is facing Daniel. “... he likes me?”

“I .. cannot guarantee that, hyung.” Woojin sighs. “I’m sorry. That’s the truth. I am not good at reading into these kind of things, but I do know that he is softer around you.”

“Ok.” Daniel smiles. “Minhyun hyung is right. I should only be thinking about this after the competition. Let’s just focus on rocking the talent show next week, yeah?”

“So, you can rank 1 instead of 2?” Woojin rolls his eyes. Seongwoo ranks 1, unsurprisingly in the first runway stage, followed by Daniel at 2 and Minhyun at 5. This really is an ace room if it weren’t for Woojin sticking out like a sore thumb.

“So that we can give it our best.” Daniel replies with too much sincerity for Woojin to handle. “I’ve seen you dance, Jinwoo. If you are nervous about the next stage, don’t be. You are gonna kill it.”

“I hope.” Woojin says, and adds in a “..not” in his mind. His main aim is to blend into the background so people can overlook him while he works out his investigation, especially now that there is a new threat.

God, only if Jihoon hasn’t opened his big fat mouth about being bored earlier and jinxed it.


	8. Chapter 8

“You jinxed it, you know that, right?” Woojin says as a greeting when he sees Jihoon the next day and winces a little when he sees Jihoon’s tired face. “Jesus, have you not slept?”

“Too many things going on,” Jihoon shakes his head. “I gotta brief the captain at the precinct in two hours.”

“So, that gives you enough time for an hour nap.”

“I still have to brief you.”

“Jihoon,” Woojin shakes his head. “I’ll just read through your notes and we can still have our regular check in later, unless you’ve already done a risk assessment and there’s a chance our guy will be back soon.”

“No..” Jihoon shakes his head. “I don’t think he is going to show up very soon. Plus, we are amping the security today. Captain lets me use a police squad for routine rounds around the resort.”

“Then go take a nap.” Woojin says decisively. “You know I’ve developed the superpower to read and understand your chicken scrawls over the years. I’ll ask any question I have when you wake up.”

Jihoon, unlike Woojin, is never particularly good at working on limited hours of sleep and he looks like he is about to fall asleep standing up, so it does not surprise Woojin when Jihoon agrees and curls up on the makeshift bed that is just three plastic chairs put next to each other.

Woojin would ask the resort to get him a room, but he knows Jihoon only sleeps like this so he can get up easier in an hour - it’s a thing they had to get used to; sleeping in uncomfortable places because it is easier to get up. Their bodies are not going to be thanking them anytime soon though.

He takes off his outer jacket to bundle it and shove it under Jihoon’s head. Jihoon makes a tiny little noise, already asleep, and Woojin sighs, sitting down next to Jihoon and starts reading through Jihoon’s notes. Jaehwan once said that they probably need a rosetta stone to decipher Jihoon’s handwritings, and Woojin would agree but he had also spent years copying notes off of Jihoon so he can read it pretty well.

The letter in question had been sent to the precinct in an evidence bag last night itself so Woojin hasn’t gotten a chance to read through it yet. The lab techs will scan and email it to them once they had done examining the paper. But from the word “anger” that is underlined multiple times in Jihoon’s notes, the letter probably sounded angry, which could be quite something given that the first 3 letters aren’t exactly a peace lullaby.

Woojin pieces together from Jihoon’s briefing notes that the main power line was cut - this term being used very loosely, someone just turned off the main switch, nothing disturbing. The disturbing thing is that the CCTV camera aiming at the main switch area of the electric room short circuited yesterday and the facility management was planning on getting it replaced within the week. Jihoon has written down that the perp probably knew of the CCTV situation, and took advantage of it to deliver their next threats, and Woojin agrees. Even if this one camera is out, there are multiple cameras on the way to the electric room and their perp has managed to stay in the blindspot for every single one of them, which could mean that he is familiar to the CCTV set up of the resort. So, it wouldn’t be too out there to think that he was aware that this particular camera was malfunctioning and took advantage of it.

Woojin jots down before Jihoon’s note to remind him to look into the cameramen that came from MNet as well. Woojin has heard them talking about getting some CCTV footages from the resort for some backstage scenes. He is not sure if that has worked out or not, but he would not pushed it past a professional cameraman his ways around cameras’ coverage and angles.

Unfortunately, they are still going in circle with nothing concrete - the only solid thing right now being that there is a real chance of dangers present, and as much as Woojin hates to admit it, they need a lucky break right now because they are not going anywhere.

Hopefully, the profiling team comes back to them with something useful.

Jihoon makes grunting noises and Woojin tilts his head to see Jihoon’s closed eyes twitching before they slowly open and land on Woojin. They look blurry and drowsy and Woojin is not even sure if Jihoon is conscious.

“It’s alright. You have about ..” Woojin takes a look at his watch. “..20 more minutes to sleep. I’ll wake you up when it’s time.”

Jihoon mumbles something and shifts, or tries to, on his makeshift bed, one of his his hand accidentally smacking Woojin in the shoulder. Woojin takes the offending hand and squeezes it lightly, but Jihoon seems fast asleep again.

“I’m here.” Woojin whispers, and he is not entirely sure, but he thinks Jihoon squeezes his hand back.

 

* * *

 

“Hey, are you alright?” Woojin saw Sungwoon on his way back after sending Jihoon off for his briefing meeting, and the dude looks even more annoyed and tired than usual, and Woojin’s self-preservation instincts have never been that great, so he catches up to Sungwoon, and asks.

“Detective..” Sungwoon greets even though there are a few staff in possible hearing range, which means Sungwoon is even more distracted. “Sorry. I, yes, I am fine. Detective Other Park briefed me this morning.”

Detective Other Park does have a nice ring to it, Woojin guesses.

“Are you..” Woojin asks as Sungwoon thankfully regains his senses and leads them onto one of the deserted paths that connect different villas, away from possible eavesdroppers. “... suspecting anyone?”

“No,” Sungwoon says, frustrated. “I .. didn’t want to believe it was one of my staff.”

“There’s a very high chance that it is not.” Woojin tells him. “They can be resource staff or one of the staff that comes with your multiple contracts.”

“But, still a staff?” Sungwoon turns and asks. “I know I came to the police because the second letter was pretty descriptive, but I was hoping it’s just some lunatic outside who lucked out on the location of our shoot, not someone who I had probably worked with before.”

“I’m sorry.” Woojin replies.

“I just don’t understand why someone like that, someone with that much toxic idea of masculinity is working for a competition that isn’t exactly catering to straight macho men..”

“Money.” Woojin simply shrugs. “There were a few truck drivers here … they worked for one of the vendors that the resort had .. they were complaining about you know .. stuff, and one of my colleagues looked into them. They hate the idea of this whole thing, but it pays and a lot of people are hypocrites, let’s be real.”

Sungwoon lets out a frustrated sigh.

“But,” Woojin continues. “..we had yet to get complete confirmation from the profiling, but we are working under the assumption of internalized homophobia. Someone who hates this competition to the core probably because it reminds him of who he is and who he cannot be.”

Sungwoon stares at him wordlessly for a couple of silent beats. “That’s .. quite sad.”

“Well, he did say that he will rip your heart out in the last letter, so…” Woojin reminds him.

“Yes, but isn’t it horrible that we had to live in a society that makes a person so full of hatred for themselves?”

“I am not qualified enough to talk about nature vs nurture with you, sir.” Woojin tells him. “But if you are reminded of anyone who possibly fits that kind of image, you let us know immediately.”

“I will.” Sungwoon nods. “Are you heading to practice?”

“No?” Woojin blinks. “How are you expecting me to practice among all this? I’m heading to the electric room. Gonna sneak in to check the possible entry and exit points of our perp.”

“You do have a talent show coming up next week?” Sungwoon purses his lips thin, and there he is again, the monster teacher. “Are you planning on staying in the bottom this time also?”

“Erm, yes. Absolutely.” Woojin nods. “I do hope you are talking about my rank and not, you know, bottom in other things.”

Sungwoon gives him a look that is half exasperated and half amused.

“Of course, you probably aren’t. Sorry.” Woojin mumbles. “But yeah, I am good if I am comfortably under 20. I can’t draw too much attention to me if I had to keep sneaking into places to do my job.”

 

* * *

 

So, of course, life throws him a fucking curveball that hits him in the head and makes his brain go blank.

“Are you sure?” He asks the MC of the talent show stage, who is a celebrity that Woojin has ever seen only in the TV, and who is now smiling crazily at Woojin because Woojin is not going towards him like he is supposed to.

“I think our contestant Jinwoo is a bit shocked at his results.” He turns to the crowd and says and Woojin can see Sungwoon looking like he had swallowed a whole lemon on the judges’ table. “That’s understandable. Nobody would have predicted him to jump from a rank of 26 to 4 within one week!”

What the fuck.


	9. Chapter 9

“I didn’t do anything! I was just dancing like I normally do.”

Woojin is pacing back and forth in one the resort’s conference rooms and Jihoon is just laughing.

It is nice to see him laugh like this when everytime Woojin had seen him over the past week, he looks an inch closer to death, but still, it’d be nice if he is not, you know, laughing at Woojin.

“You could have given me like a 0 or 1.” He turns to Sungwoon and complains.

“Every other judge gave you at least an 8 so if I gave you anything lower than 6, I’d be accused of biasness and unfairness.” Sungwoon crosses his arm and says. “Are you really that distraught that people like your dancing?”

“I .. not when you put it like that, no.” Woojin sighs. “But this is exactly what I don’t want. The attention. The crew who didn’t even know my fake name before were coming up to me for pictures, and I had a magazine photoshoot. What the hell? I don’t know how to do those things!”

“You should have just stuck to tap dancing or dart throwing.” Jihoon giggles.

“The magazine shoot will be fine.” Sungwoon adds in. “It’s only a 2-page spread. You are not that famous yet.”

The top 5 of the second stage is offered a magazine shoot with 1st Look - which is something Woojin knows, but never really thought about it because obviously, he is not getting into top 5, and now, he did and everything is fire.

Woojin groans, and Sungwoon rubs his forehead with his thumb. “Think of it this way. The photoshoot is on the day before your two-day break and you can go home right after you finished your shoot, so you essentially get two and a half day break.”

“That does sound better.” Woojin nods, even though he is still terrified. The last week break day outing with Jihoon did not pan out because of the new threat, but this week, they are getting two breaks, and Woojin makes a mental note to ask Jihoon later if he is free to hang out.

“If you are finished freaking out,” Sungwoon rolls his eyes. “Here is the file you wanted, detective. I had Jinyoung pulled it up for you.”

Woojin looks curiously at the plain file Sungwoon is handing Jihoon, and nods at Jihoon to ask what that is. Jihoon just holds up a finger, and looks through the file before thanking Sungwoon.

Sungwoon leaves with a curt nod to the both of them.

“What is it?” Woojin inches in closer to Jihoon and asks.

“Kim Jung Ho. One of the camera men from the MNet crew.” Jihoon pushes the file to him. “I saw your note in my book. He was one of the back ups so we didn’t screen him. Anyway, I already had tech dig out what they can about him. I just need to dig a little more before bringing the captain in.”

“Anything jumped out?” Woojin asks, taking the file and going through out. Two DUI charges and one report from neighbours for noise disturbance, not a great start. “Apart from all these charges?”

“Nothing concrete. The last access to the electrical room on that night before the power was cut is with a guest access card.”

“That’s circumstantial at best.” Woojin frowns. “The resort issued guest passes for everyone who is not their hire for this competition. There gotta be at least two hundreds of those.”

“I know.” Jihoon nods. “I even entertained the possibility that a resort staff could have used a guest access card to get in. Criminals are not dumb as much as we want them to be.”

“Ok,” Woojin nods. “So, we have a guest access card that we can’t define the origin. The profile team is taking three more days to cross-check their results with the new letter. How is it that new evidence actually slows our process down?”

Jihoon scoffs and just shakes his head, opening up his notebook. “At least they tell us the preliminary analysis - adult male; most possibly in his very late 20s or 30s. Easy to trigger. High chances of being closeted.”

“We could have guessed any of that.” Woojin scoffs. “Easy to trigger, really?”

“Well, they also did say that he probably does not have any past criminal records, at least those that are related to violence. Doyeon’s boss thinks he’s in the early phases of violence outbreaks.”

“A little anger seedling waiting to grow into a murder machine. How nice.” Woojin comments.

“And possible addiction to substance. I know it’s like a long shot but Kim Jung Ho fits the profile the best. He was demoted from a main camera man to backup because he keeps drinking on the job.” Jihoon says, pointing at one of the employers’ comment in the file. “I asked Sungwoon to pull his work file because I wanted to confirm where he was during 2014.”

“You sounds like you already have an idea where he was.” Woojin raises an eyebrow.

“He worked at tvN from 2013 to 2014, and he was one of the ground crews for the Pride 2014 documentary that tvN did. It just never aired because of the bombings. It’s still circumstantial but he’s the best lead we’ve gotten so far.”

“Ok. Too many coincidences for my liking too.” Woojin thinks. “But there’s nothing to link him to the letters. You can’t bring him in for any questioning.”

“No, but he’s scheduled to work main stage for the third week. I am uncomfortable about that. And he has two outstanding parking tickets so we’ll bring him in on the morning of the third stage and , you know, let the bureaucracy works itself out so he’ll have to wait for at least 10 hours before getting out. Captain Yoon says that if he’s free, he might be able to sit down for an interview to knock around the guy.”

“An interview with the captain over two parking tickets?” Woojin wrinkles his nose. “That seems a little overkill.”

“Yeah, we are still working the kinks out.” Jihoon nods. “My immediate goal is to not let the only one possible perp be anywhere near the stage. He was only working control rooms before these stages so I am not sure if it is lack of opportunity or just a coincidence.”

“Here’s to hoping it is not a coincidence so I can get out of this before the finale.” Woojin groans. “God, I can’t believe I am already halfway through.”

“And you have been killing it.” Jihoon winks at him. “I think I say this on behalf of the live audience in the crowd, but damn son. Gonna need some time to recover from those aggressive hip thrusts.”

“Shut up.” Woojin feels his face heating up. “Are you free on my day off? We never get to go drinking last weekend.”

“I know. I lost money on my tickets.” Jihoon pouts. “How about on the evening of your photoshoot? Don’t take your makeup off so I can go out with something that resembles a human.”

“Hah-hah.” Woojin laughs in his face, and takes out his vibrating phone. “Shit. Daniel hyung is asking where I am. I told him I’d go to this mini celebration thing they are doing for stage 2.”

“Go on,” Jihoon sighs dramatically. “I am just a simple cop, nothing compared to your glorious model friends.”

“Idiot,” Woojin twists his ears and Jihoon shrieks a little. “Sorry about the movie tickets. I’ll book us a bowling alley?”

Jihoon grins back.

 

* * *

 

The photoshoot isn’t that bad. The photographer is a chill old lady who reminds Woojin of some Harry Potter character, and the most offensive thing she had done is putting them into clothes that look like his grandmother’s old carpet. Seongwoo looks particularly radiant in his bright fuschia silk shirt with golden and purple dragons.

“Professor Trelawney.” Donghan says when Woojin brings up the fact that their photographer looks like a Harry Potter character on the bus back home.

“Right!” Woojin snaps a finger at Donghan. “With those big-rim glasses and the crazy 80’s hair. Damn. Yeah. That’s who she reminds me of.”

“I think there’s still wax in my hair.” Daniel grunts from his seat touching at his hair that definitely still has wax in it.

“Get it washed at a salon if you have time before you have to leave for Busan.” Minhyun suggests.

“You are going back to Busan?” Woojin asks.

“Yes.” Daniel gives him a toothy smile. “I miss my mom.”

“He means his cats.” Seongwoo scoffs from where he is draping over Minhyun.

“You guys really are the ace room, huh?” Donghan comments and Woojin grimaces a little. More like being in the ace room is a self fulfilling prophecy and now he is somehow in top 5. “Look at this. Top 5, and 4 of you are all from the same room.”

“Jinwoo was a little hopeless for a second,” Seongwoo grins. “But we all gave him our energy.”

“I know those words should not sound as suggestive as they do,” Donghan grimaces. “But the way you said it, hyung.”

“It’s a talent.” Seongwoo winks at him and Minhyun laughs like he is the funniest person on earth.

Nerds.

“What are your plans for the break?” Daniel asks. “I know Seongwoo is already being threatened with disownment to visit his family, so he’d have to do that.”

“Minhyun will be crying all three nights over me, obviously.” Seongwoo turns to Minhyun, who simply just nods and pets at Seongwoo’s head like he is telling a child santa is real.

Minhyun is actually meeting up with a couple of his other friends, Donghan apparently has a meeting lined up with an agency - he apparently caught their eyes during the first stage.

“I’d just be chilling.” Woojin answers when four pairs of eyes turn on him. “You know, going out with some friends. Catch up on Knowing Brothers. Not seeing the sun for three days.”

He is actually supposed to be working at the precinct because Jaehwan has tied up his robbery string case, and he needs some help with the finishing paper works, but a man can hope. His only big plan is going out with Jihoon tonight, and in fact, Jihoon should be picking him up at Gangnam station where he had asked the bus driver earlier to drop him off at.

Actually, he should have thought better because Daniel lets out a small giggle when the bus stops in front of the Gangnam station where Jihoon is standing and waiting around with his hands in his pockets.

“Big date with your detective friend?” Daniel asks with a smirk, and Woojin just rolls his eyes.

“We are just going out for a drink. That’s all.”

“I wish I had a boyfriend who’d wait around to take me out.” Minhyun says and Seongwoo lets out an offended excuse me?

“The only reason I had never waited around for you is because I am always late, babe. You know that.” Seongwoo says petulantly while Minhyun laughs and sends off Woojin with a have fun.

“You too, guys.” Woojin grins and waves back at all of them. “Enjoy your break!”

“So..” Jihoon grins when he sees Woojin steps down from the bus and turns to face him. “.. ready to get trashed for the night?”

“Hell yeah!”

 

* * *

 

 

Jihoon absolutely destroys Woojin at bowling, but that is not unexpected. Plus, it is going to be Woojin’s turn to destroy when they get to the shooting range.

“Ha!” Woojin laughs after getting his safety goggles and earmuffs off, watching their target boards drawing closer. “Suck on it, sucker.”

Jihoon glares at him, but Woojin is too busy taking a picture of his target board where every shot flew through the center precisely, unlike Jihoon’s, who only got four center shots, but others spreading around close to the target.

“How are you good at this and yet, can’t bowl to save your life?” Jihoon asks, already loading up a new mag. Apparently, he does not think getting humiliated on the first round is enough. Woojin leans into the counter next to Jihoon and shrugs. “Bowling and shooting are not even similar.”

“Erm. Hands eyes coordination. Target. Sending things towards the target. I’d say they are pretty similar.” Jihoon grunts.

“You are just cranky because I am better at this than you are.” Woojin sticks his tongue out and says despite the fact that there is a loaded gun in Jihoon’s hands. Whatever. He is feeling great and brave tonight.

“I guess even you can’t be rubbish at everything.” Jihoon just comments and goes back to aiming at his new target.

Honestly, Jihoon is not even a bad shot. He has an average of 70% hit rate, which is great for a detective. Woojin just happens to  be really good at it (and have a 95% hit rate, not that anybody asks).

“Don’t put too much tension in your arm.” Woojin grips at Jihoon’s straightened out arms and goes behind him so he can get both of his hands on Jihoon’s arm. “If you are holding it too tight, you can’t do it for too long, and your muscles will eventually spasm a little, driving your bullet a little off-course.”

“I know how to shoot, Woojin.” Jihoon turns to him and says, and his goggles bumps into Woojin’s nose, and Woojin blinks a little at how close he has gotten himself to Woojin. Jihoon smells like cherry and soda and listerine, which is weird because they hadn’t eaten any cherry, but Woojin’s eyes land on Jihoon’s red lips and realizes that it is probably the cherry lip balm Woojin had gotten him (it is not like he has a habit of buying Jihoon lip balms. They were just doing grocery shopping and Jihoon wanted that lip balm so Woojin paid for it). When Woojin looks back at Jihoon’s eyes through the goggles, he is still staring at Woojin.

“No, you don’t.” Woojin mumbles back and points at the scoreboard above their head. Jihoon rolls his eyes before elbowing him in the ribs so Woojin has to let go of him with a little grunt. 

They did three more rounds, all won by Woojin, and eventually ends up at this little cheap road shop they always go to for supper and drinks. 

“God, if we were able to order half of these dishes while we were in school, that was a good day.” Jihoon says, looking at the spreads of dishes they had ordered. There isn't even any place left to put the soju bottle on so they had to pull an extra chair for their glasses and bottle.

“Yes, now it is a good day if we can get enough time to eat here.” Woojin says and hands Jihoon a piece of ribs.

“We’ve really gotten old, huh?” Jihoon laughs. “I’d have appreciated my alcohol more if I had known how little I can drink of it now.”

“You never had a high tolerance anyway.” Woojin scoffs. “Having said that, here you go, first shot of the night. Should we do a drinking game?”

Jihoon grimaces after his first glass. “I am going to regret this tomorrow, aren’t I?”

“I guarantee it.” Woojin grins.   


“Oh well,” Jihoon shrugs and hands Woojin his empty glass back. “What the hell. Let’s do it.”

Woojin also is not able to drink as much as he could have when he was younger and his liver was probably  healthier, but he can still sit straight and talk without getting his tongue tangled with air after four bottles, unlike Jihoon, who is already leaning on his elbow on the table.

“Jihoon, can I ask you something?” He says and Jihoon squints his eyes at him before nodding. “Why haven’t you dated anyone since we joined SMPA. We are now coming up on our third year here.”

He has been thinking about it since Daniel mistakenly said earlier that they were going on a date. Jihoon hasn’t dated anyone ever since they left school; in fact, Woojin does not think he had seen anyone since his last boyfriend four years ago, but maybe he just does not know when Jihoon goes on dates. He does not like the idea of that, but it is not out of the realm of possibility - they are not joined at their hips despite Jaehwan suggesting so multiple times.

“What is it to you?” Jihoon shoots back. “Why are you even keeping tabs on my love life?”

“Nothing.” Woojin mumbles. “I was just curious.”

“It’s not like you’ve dated either.”

“No, but I’ve always been awkward when it comes to relationships, you know that.” Woojin replies. “I’ve had like two stable girlfriends all through my life. You’ve had double that in our first year.”

“I’ve never had a girlfriend.” Jihoon blinks at him innocently, and Woojin gives him a mock laugh before pouring him another glass.

“It’s not because you are worried about the job, right?” 

Jihoon slowly sips at the alcohol in his glass before looking at Woojin. “No. You know that.”

“I do, but I just want to make sure you are not scared of anything.”

“I’m still terrified of the deep water, but thank you.” Jihoon laughs and shakes his head. “I don’t know. Maybe I just don’t feel like dating any dude who is interested in me anymore. I want something more stable. Something more … real.”

“Oh,” Woojin nods and runs his finger around the rim of his empty alcohol glass. “That’s good, I think? All your past boyfriends are jerks, especially that dude from America.”

“Max?” Jihoon asks, and Woojin pushes another glass towards him.

“You break the rule. Drink.”

“Wait.” Jihoon blinks before it dawns on him that they are still playing the no-English game, and he looks exasperatedly at Woojin. “He name is in English Woojin. How do you expect me to Koreanized his whitebread name?”

“Rule number 2. No excuses.” Woojin grins, and Jihoon gives him a glare, but take the shot anyway.

“Are you still mad at ..” Jihoon asks after he drowns his shot. “.. my ex boyfriend whose name is in English and I cannot say? Because he broke up with me a day before your birthday?”

Jihoon cried all the way through Woojin’s birthday that year. It was not a happy time for everyone involved, and Jihoon had to convince him (through tears and snot) that  it’d be serious bad karma if Woojin shoots someone on his birthday.

“He’s the worst one.” Woojin says decisively. “The others were not as bad as him on a comparison scale, but they are still shitty boyfriends.”

“I can’t believe I had to defend my exes’ honours, but they are not.” Jihoon laughs. “They are decent people. Most of the time, it’s just wrong people and wrong timings. Guanlin was a cool dude.”

“He gave you an Armani cologne for your birthday, and you used strictly Burberry!”

“That..” Jihoon blinks. “.. is not a crime, Woojin! We started dating two weeks before my birthday. He doesn’t know all my likes and dislikes. Also, that’s two English words. Drink up, bitch.”

Woojin groans in frustration, but obediently take too successive shots. “You still sold that cologne online.”

“Yeah. I wasn't gonna use it anyway.” Jihoon shrugs. “What about Haknyeon? He’s chill, he never got me the wrong gift and we only broke up because he left to study in London.”

“He was too demanding of you.” Woojin grunts out. He wonders if Jihoon is gonna go through all of his exes tonight, because Woojin does have a catalogue of each of them and how they can be better for Jihoon in his brain. “You’re always dead on your feet from the training or the several assignments due, but you still have to go out and meet with him.”

“It’s called maintaining a relationship.” Jihoon scoffs. “That’s a thing people do.”

“Yes, but how can he not look at your face and know you are tired or upset or stressed after dating you. I figured you out after a couple of months.”

“Woojin,” Jihoon starts laughing, a little hysterically, to be honest. Woojin wonders if the five-bottle Jihoon who will undoubtedly pukes his way through the night and sings H.O.T songs off-key and loudly is going to make an appearance soon. “.. you can’t compare yourself to the people I date.”

He knows that! But fuck if that does not sting a little.

“Listen, man, I know I am only your friend, but …”

“No,” Jihoon leans in and says seriously. “No, listen.” His face is turning a little bit paler and Woojin immediately scans his surrounding for any container. There are a few plastic bags on the counter so if he can dash, Woojin can make it.

“Woojin, listen.” Jihoon says again and Woojin turns to him with a  _ hmm?  _ “You can’t compare yourself to my boyfriends, ok? Past or future.”

“I get that.” Woojin grits out.

“Because they will all fall short.” Jihoon says with a satisfied nod, almost banging his head on the table. “Woojin, you are not a fair scale, ok? There’s only you and everyone else is just .. not you. You can’t compare yourself to them. Even I stopped doing it years ago because it only sucks more.”

“Jihoon, what ..” Woojin asks but Jihoon’s face is turning an alarming shade of white so he decides to deal with the situation at hand and makes a mad dash to get one of the plastic bags on the counter before thrashing it under Jihoon’s nose.

Jihoon,  blessed his well-adapted drunk little brain, immediately hooks the two loop handle of the plastic bag onto his ears and goes to town. Woojin grimaces a little, but keeps his hand on Jihoon’s back so he can both massage it and make sure Jihoon does not fall backward.

_ There is only you  _  Jihoon has said that. Maybe he was too drunk to understand what he is saying, but he did say that. Woojin is not that drunk to mishear him. But he also said that he had stopped .. comparing his boyfriends to Woojin. What does that even mean? Like was Woojin a scale of nah to god-yes when Jihoon was considering a boyfriend?

But, if that’s the case, when has Jihoon never considered Woojin himself?

* * *

 

 

His apartment feels stuffy and dusty probably because he hasn’t been here in weeks. Woojin puts Jihoon down on the floor before he turns his sofa into a futon that Jihoon can sleep on - Jihoon forces him into buying this because Woojin’s apartment comes with a single bed and there won’t be any place for Jihoon to sleep when he comes over, and as always, he was right. 

He drags an already sleeping Jihoon onto the futon, and sits down on the dirty floor, gazing out of the glass wall that takes up half of his living room wall. Jihoon is snoring softly clutching tightly at the charmander plushie he got for Woojin as a housewarming gift because he said it reminded him of Woojin.

Woojin had known that he was in love with this boy since he cried all the way through Woojin’s birthday years ago, and all Woojin could think of while holding him was how if it was him, he would never have hurt Jihoon like that. He was probably in love with Jihoon way longer than that. He was just a little too dumb to get that. 

But Jihoon, the flirty, suggestive, open Jihoon has never made a move on him. Sure, there are banters but words are just words and Jihoon always pulls back when Woojin thinks maybe he can toe the line, and Woojin is not a very brave person so everytime he feels like Jihoon is pulling back, he pulls back three steps more, and here they are. Jihoon still Jihoon, and Woojin … still feeling like a new rock has been sunk into his heart everytime Jihoon smiles at him even after all these years.

He eventually gets up from the floor and leaves to wash up before tucking himself onto his own bed. Sleep does not come easy so he ends up going onto Instagram, which is still logged into the Baek Jinwoon’ account that Jihoon had created. The account apparently has over 10k followers though - what the hell. 

He mindlessly scrolls through his feed, mostly consisting of the new people he met through Mr. Korea, and Daniel with his 30 photos of cats. He likes the one where one of Daniel’s cats is looking at him in complete condescension (it kind of reminds him of Sungwoon) and Daniel DMs him not one minute later, so they end up talking. Daniel is easy to talk to and is the kind of person that Woojin thinks would not judge him so halfway through their mundane chat about Busan foods, Woojin bites the bullet and ask him. 

>> _ hyung, hypothetically speaking, if a guy is in love with his best friend of 10 years, what should that guy do _

Daniel’s response takes a little longer than the usual, but it does come.

>> _ well, hypothetically, you should tell him _

_ >> that’s not how ‘hypothetically’ works!  _ Woojin types back. 

>> _ and i can’t tell him…. _

_ >> why not? What have u got to lose _

_ >> him _

_ >> well damn kid. That gets deep real quick _

_ >> but are you happy now. Just being friends with him _

_ >> obviously not hyung. Do u think i’d be drunk texting u at 2 in the morning if i do? _

_ >> wow.. Offense taken :^|  _

_ >> take a chance jinwoo… if he doesn’t like u like that, then u can stop hanging on for good. It’ll hurt but it’ll also be easier to heal _

_ >> it’s better than having to keep lying to him isn’t it _

Woojin grunts and shuts his eyes. Daniel is right - Woojin does know that, but it is not always easy to do the right thing, especially when the thing revolves around his entire heart.


	10. Chapter 10

Jihoon is up earlier than Woojin the next morning because for what he lacks in alcohol tolerance, he is blessed with the genes to not have a lasting hangover the next morning. If you ask Woojin, that’s a trade-off worth taking.

“I made breakfast.” Jihoon knocks on the wall of Woojin’s doorless bedroom and says. Woojin considers ignoring him, but they have to go in to the precinct soon anyway so he might as well get it started.

“Two crackers and water is not breakfast, Jihoon.” Woojin says pointed when Jihoon offers him his generous spread of breakfast.

“Talk to me when you have something other than expired string cheese in your fridge.” Jihoon says and bites into the cracker he is eating. “Anyway, Doyeon texted. The profiling team should have their results ready by 10 for us, so lend me something to wear and we’ll go in together?”

“All yours,” Woojin waves towards his wardrobe and tear the package of his breakfast.

 

* * *

 

 

The profiling team does not have anything more concrete on the characteristics and profile of their perp, but they did find something that is potentially useful.

“This entire block of text,” Doyeon is circling the projector with her laser pointer. “.. a word-to-word quote from a manifesto spread on a patriarchy online forum about six months back. It gains quite a few traction - which is depressing. However, because the size of the manifesto file is very big, whoever wants to access it has to register an account and download it. Tech team is pretty sure we can get a download history from the site and trace back the user’s IP address. Or at least the computer that downloaded it.”

“Nice.” Woojin says. This seems like the first real break they had gotten over all this time. “We’ll get on it immediately and if lady luck loves me, I might not even have to go back after this!”

Lady luck definitely does not love Woojin because the download history on the forum is not publicly available, but given that they have credible letters of threats and evidence linking it to the site, they can apply for a digital access warrant.

“The writer is a bust,” Jaehwan calls out from his desk. “I followed up on the username, and apparently, the dude who wrote this manifesto write several other pieces of shit and someone doxxed him last month. Turned out he’s a college professor, retired and wheelchair bound in Jeju.”

“College professor, really?” Woojin grimaces.

“He does write nicely, even if his content is horrific and slightly terrifying.” Jihoon says, putting down a stack of paper onto Woojin’s desk. “Warrant request. Fill it up and we’ll go see a judge this afternoon. If we are early enough, we might even get a warrant by next Tuesday.”

“Erh… so I do have to go back.” Woojin groans and pulls the paper towards him. “I hate this.”

“I’d have thought you’d be enjoying your new found popularity.” Jihoon grins. “Didn’t Yoojung at the front desk tell you she’ll be voting for you?”

She did, and it was terrifying.

The thing is Woojin does not mind being in the dumb competition. Hell, after two stages, especially one that involves him dancing in front of an entire live audience, he is not even that scared anymore about walking the stage or being in the limelight.

What he feels bad about is having to lie to a lot of the people there. Funnily enough, he really likes Daniel, Seongwoo and Minhyun, like they could have been regular friends if Woojin wasn’t a cop assigned to protect them. And he does know that he is not lying to them out of spite, but having to keep up a pretense in front of the people you care about is exhausting.

You’d think he’d be a pro at this now by the length of years he had done it in front of Jihoon.

He is going to confess to Jihoon.

He is not sure when or where or how, but he will do it one day. Maybe when this case is over and they are both back at the precinct or maybe during the year end break when they had planned to take a short trip anywhere before going back home for families.

He is going to do it.

Probably.

Maybe.

 

* * *

 

 

“The live interview stage,” Sungwoon is saying and Woojin wonders if he will be noticed if he just sneaks out of this hall. The warrant is supposed to be granted today. Jihoon isn’t even here because he is following up on it, and Woojin is dying on an update. “... is one of the most important stages in Mr. Korea because it allows the audience to know you, your dreams and your motivations a little more. We are obviously not going to say or even hint at what this year’s questions are, but we will run through a few of the previous years’ and practice some samples to prepare you all.”

Minhyun eventually slaps a light hand on Woojin’s knee because he can’t stop shaking it. His phone is depressingly silent and he is not sure if it is because Jihoon is making amazing progress or because he is stuck. He could be doing better things than just sitting here and watching previous years’ contestants answer mundane cliche question with a smile so wide the whole time that Woojin is worried about air exposures on their enamels.

“Baek Jinwoo!” Sungwoon calls from the stage probably because he notices Woojin being flighty (or maybe possibly because earlier when he gets back to the resort and checked in with Sungwoon, he very innocently asked Sungwoon if he ate ramen late last night because his face looks fuller than before.) “Let’s practice a sample question, shall we?”

Woojin grimaces but nods and stands up, pulling down at his hoodie.

“What do you think needs improvement on our current day society?” Sungwoon reads out from the cue card in his hand and Woojin blinks a little. 

“Ermmm….” Woojin drawls, burrowing his eyebrows at Seongwoo, who is laughing discreetly. “Harsher sentences on parole violators?”

Seongwoo bursts out laughing this time, and Woojin glares at him. “What? It’s true. Do you know most parle officer do not even regularly check in with the parole prisoner.”

“No, we did not know that, but thank you.” Sungwoon says and Woojin huffs a little before sitting down. At least, this time around, he wouldn’t accidentally end up top 5.

 

* * *

 

When Sungwoon dismisses them, Woojin cannot even wait around for Daniel so that they can move to the outfit fitting together. Instead, he gets into an empty washroom and calls Jihoon.

Apparently, the IT is still going through the logs, but there was a single download of the manifesto on the night before the power cut at the resort, and the timing is too convenient to be a coincidence. The bad news is the account that downloaded the manifesto does not have any activity apart from that one download, and IT cannot pull the IP address of the account origin because it was created three years ago. However, one of the guys says that they can trace the IP address of the computer from where the last download happened, so they are still working on that. All in all, it is not a complete loss.

He cannot say the same for the outfit fitting because Daehwi, the lead stylist, keeps trying to put Woojin into tight pants on the basis of Woojin having “great muscular” thighs. And as flattered as Woojin is, he needs to be carrying a weapon so he eventually gets Sungwoon to help convince Daehwi that Woojin can rock a pair of wide-legged pants similarly well. Daehwi’s eyes scarily brightens before he flips the shit out of his outfit binder and lands on one that is just a mesh top that hides literally nothing, with a bell bottom pants. It looks hideous- like something only Elton John could rock, but Woojin agrees to it just so he does not have to sit one minute more in this discussion. The rate at which he is learning to live with his humiliation is growing alarmingly fast.

“You know, detective.” Sungwoon sneaks up on to him while he was trying find an empty changing room to get changed into his newly acquired outfit . “I understand the need for you to carry your gun at all time, but what are you going to do at your speedo competition?”

Woojin has no idea, except for a very dumb one.

 

* * *

 

 

“Is that a gun in your speedo or are you just glad to see me?”

“That’s definitely a gun in speedo.” Woojin replies to Jihoon from the full length mirror he was looking at his speedo-clad body from. “I’m trying to see if it fits.”

“OH MY GOD. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?” Jihoon shrieks. “You can’t put a gun next to your junk! Do you really hate yourself that much?”

“I know.” Woojin pouts and hands over his gun to Jihoon, disgruntled. “I’m just trying it out because I don’t feel comfortable not carrying.”

“Don’t give your junk gun to me!” Jihoon protests so Woojin makes a show out of wiping the gun with a tissue before handing it over to him. Jihoon takes it with two fingers, staring at the gun like it is radioactive.

Woojin sighs and crosses his arms across his very much naked chest. “What are you even doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be on a patrol shift?”

“I am here to see my favorite Mr. Korea.” Jihoon says, and then proceeds to whip out his phone and takes pictures. “And get blackmail material.”

“You’ll have plenty of those when the night ends,” Woojin grumbles and tries to make a grab at Jihoon’s phone, but Jihoon keeps him at an arm’s length.

“You know I always liked getting my blackmail materials in person.” Jihoon winks at him. “Ready to go out there and wow all your potential sugar mommies with your impeccable pecs?”

“Shut up and make yourself useful.” Woojin grunts and takes the oil bottle one of the stylists had handed him earlier. “Oil me.”

Jihoon blinks. “I am sorry. I’m pretty sure I heard you said _oil me_.”

“Because that’s what I said. Apparently, I am supposed to oil my naked skin so it looks better under the stage light and in photo. One of the assistants offered to do it, but I felt awkward so I told her I’d do it myself.”

“So, do it yourself.”

“I did my legs but I can’t reach my back.”

“Jesus Christ, you are unbelievable.” Jihoon grabs the oil bottle from Woojin’s hand and violently squeezes a small pool into the palm of his hand. “Turn around, and if you are thinking of making any wisecrack, just know that I am not only carrying my gun, but also yours.”

“My lips are sealed.” Woojin says and squeaks a little when the warm oil spreads over his back under Jihoon’s soft and slippery palms.

“I can’t believe I studied years at the Academy to end up lubing you up.” Jihoon grumbles and turns Woojin around by his shoulder.

“I am the one getting oil on my naked pecs and going up in front of thousands of people.” Woojin rolls his eyes.

Jihoon scoffs but he is not looking up at Woojin, and Woojin even think he is flushing a little red on his cheeks despite him being very concentrated in oiling Woojin’s abs up well and good. Woojin honestly does not have any intention other than minor annoyance when he was asking Jihoon to oil him up, but now that Jihoon is actually doing it, Woojin realizes that this feels a lot more awkward and intimate like a badly written 80’s porno.

“So, erm,” Woojin starts, trying not to focus on Jihoon’s fingers that are running butterflies on his stomach and definitely not making him feel some type of way. “... any update on that Hong Kong server?”

The tech guys traced the IP address of their potential perp from the manifesto download site, and it comes back with a Hong Kong server address. They initially thought there was some VPN situation going on, but IT confirms that it was a legit live server. Hong Kong and Seoul is not that far that their perp could not have made it down to the resort to cut the power after he downloaded the manifesto but Woojin cannot think of any logical reason to explain why someone would even do that.

“No, I talked to digital crimes,” Jihoon answers. “.. but we will need to go through a shit load of applications and procedures because it’s a different jurisdiction.”

“Goddammit.” Woojin breathes out. “Why is it that we never get lucky, huh?”

“Hey, at least, we brought in Kim Jung Ho, that camera man, this morning.”

“Right.” Woojin nods. “Any creep alert?”

“No, he mostly just seems confused. Plus, the fax machine at the precinct broke today so we are processing even more slower than usual and he’s still sitting in the holding area even now. Last time Jaehwan hyung updated me, the guy is mostly just mad and yelling about missing his work.”

“You don’t think he’s the one, right?” Woojin asks.

Jihoon is silent for a while before giving a small sigh with a shake of his head. “He fits some of the profile description, but no, I don’t think so.”

“Hey, at least the STA will thank us for the two paid parking tickets.” Woojin says as a consolation.

Jihoon just scoffs and snaps the cap back onto the small oil bottle. “All done. You look weird.”

“Whatever. I can’t wait to get it over with.” Woojin mumbles.

“When is your turn?”

“I have at least ten more minutes.” Woojin points to the monitor that is streaming live of the ongoing stage. Daniel is still walking down the runway in his leather-looking pants and an open jacket, his killer smile not faltering once.

“I had a bet with Jaehwan hyung on who’s going to rank 1 this time.” Jihoon says and shrugs defensively when Woojin turns and gives him a wtf look. “What? We were bored. Anyway, my bet is on Daniel. Did you see his live interview stage? Dude was killing it.”

Yes, Woojin did see that. Daniel got hit with the question of what he would do with the 100 million won if he were the one to win it, and he went all soft and vulnerable, talking about how he had always wanted to pay off his family debt, and how it has always been his dream to open a free shelter for stray cats in Busan. Woojin could have sworn he saw Sungwoon discreetly trying to wipe at his eyes. Daniel got an average of 9.5 out of 10 from the four different judges, and Woojin only got a total score of 16, so he guesses he is not in the danger of being top anything this time around.

But still, he would like it if Jihoon believes in him a little more even if it is not something even Woojin believes in himself.

“Stop sulking.” Jihoon comments, obviously reading Woojin’s face. “You don’t even want to win. Why would I bet on you?”

“I didn’t say anything.” Woojin mumbles.

“No, but your face is doing the thing.” Jihoon scoffs.

“I could totally have a chance to win this if I put in some efforts, ok?”

“Jesus Christ, you are a child.” Jihoon groans. “Fine. I’ll change my bet to you. Happy? I guess I can live with losing 20,000 won to Jaehwan hyung.”

“Aww… you value me more than 20,000 won.” Woojin flutters his eyelashes and Jihoon threatens to wipe his oily hands on Woojin’s face.

The footage on the monitor switches to the last contestant of the formal wear stage, one of the guys Woojin is not particularly closed to - Kwon something, and Jihoon lets out a little oh.

“What? You know the guy?” Woojin asks him.

“I’ve run into him a few times.” Jihoon says. “He’s nice. I told him I was assigned as a protection unit for this competition, and that I am also friend with you. He says you guys don’t know each other that well.”

“When did you even get the time to say all that?” Woojin mumbles.

“Dinner. You know I usually eat quite early to not clash with the contestants, but he also eats early.”

“Maybe he started eating dinner early so he can run into you.”

“Maybe.” Jihoon shrugs. “He asked me out last week.”

What the fuck. And Jihoon does not even tell him. Granted - Jihoon probably got asked out by like two different people on every different moon cycle, but hell, this one is a little close to home.

“Did you say yes?”

Jihoon gives him an exasperated look. “Do you think I wouldn’t have told you if I said yes?”

“I don’t know.” Woojin shrugs. “I mean, we are both grown up now and we don’t even live together anymore. I wouldn’t blame you if it just skips your mind to tell me that you are seeing someone.”

Jihoon just looks at him with undecipherable eyes - like he is angry, but also tired - before looking away. “I am not dating him. I told him I’d think about it.”

Woojin blinks in confusion. “So, you didn’t exactly say no.”

“I thought it’d be awkward since I am gonna be around.”

“You used to never think twice about things like that.” Woojin says. “You always say no to people you are not into.”

“Well, maybe I am just getting softer with the age.” Jihoon wrinkles his nose, and Woojin wants to shake him by the shoulder and asks him to say everyone no, everyone but him, and Woojin knows that this is not the time because he can see Seongwoo in his metallic red speedo on stage, which means Woojin will be following him soon, nor the place, because he is dripping in oil and only covered by a tiny piece of swimwear, but he wants to, god, does he want to, just stand in front of Jihoon and breaks into some angry Taylor Swift-esque song about why can’t Jihoon just see him, right here.

“Baek Jinwoo to the backstage in 2. Baek Jinwoo the backstage in 2.” The extra walkie talkie that Woojin had misappropriated from Jinyoung so that he could have some peace and quiet while not missing his cue, starts blinking red with one of the backstage manager’s voice shilling through it, so Woojin swallows down his impulses and grabs at the numbering plate he had put down to clip onto the waistband of his speedo.

“Are you alright?” Jihoon asks, and he is suddenly in front of Woojin, moving away Woojin’s fumbling hand and firmly clipping the pin onto the waistband, his knuckles brushing against Woojin’s hip bones. “You look pissed.”

“I am fine.” Woojin grunts out and tries to smile. “How do I look?”

“Like an idiot.”

That’s his boy.


	11. Chapter 11

There is something wrong with the scene. Woojin cannot exactly put his finger on it, but this is the third time he had walked back from the extended center stage tonight - first after the live interview, and the second after the runway walk, and now the third and the last. And he can’t help but feel that something is off balance every time he faced the main stage.

Maybe it is just his mind playing tricks on his brain so that he can focus on something other than hundreds pairs of eyes watching him strutting in a one square foot of clothing, but he had learned over the years not to discredit his instincts even if half of them normally ends up being wrong.

There is nothing out of place at the main stage. Seongwoo is standing there with other contestants who have finished their rounds, and Woojin can see a backstage assistant poking her head out from the back curtains, probably looking for the cue, and the lightning is making everyone’s oiled up bodies look like melting wax, and … _the light fixtures are not even._

Right on top of the main stage where the usual headlights and setups exist, hangs a metal row of decorative lighting - they are in shape of disco balls, eight of them suspended by a thick wire and reflecting prism colors all across the stage, settling in nicely with the 80s theme they have going on here. But the two disco balls on the far left are hanging noticeably lower than the rest of them, the wire holding them almost stretching down. It upsets the balance of the entire fixture and Woojin feels like with every heavy thump of the bass that plays with the background music, they tend to shake a little more.

Hyungseob gives him a weird look and hisses until Woojin understands that he is making crazy eyes at Woojin to let him know to stand at his designated mark since Woojin went over it while wanting to get a closer look at the disco balls. They are far too high for him to see anything clearly, but he can definitely tell that the leftmost two are definitely much much heavier than the rest.

Woojin does not have a good feeling about this.

The assistant lady almost yells at him but Woojin just squeaks out a “toilet emergency” before rushing down the stairs. He does not have anything helpful on him - a phone or a gun, even though he is not sure what he is supposed to do even if he does have a gun in this situation. Probably threatens whoever is in charge to stop the show because if he tells them now, they’ll a hundred percent, no doubt, thinks he is a lunatic. 

“Jinwoo? Why are you not up there?” A passing by Daniel asks, and shit, Daniel is one of the last person in the round so it has maybe ten minutes before this stage ends and they announce the winner. 

“Toilet, hyung.” Woojin turns to yell at him while looking through the crowd for anyone in uniform, but backstage is filled with staff running around back and forth, preparing for the ranking shoot. 

“You need to be back on stage.” The assistant lady from earlier catches up with him, and man, she is so fucking strong for someone who is half his height. “Come on.”

“Wait, no. There’s something wrong with the stage.” Woojin tries, but she is obviously not listening to him with all her energy being spent in trying to push Woojin back on the stage.

Shit.

 He can at least see Sungwoon at the judges’ table, looking at him in mild surprise and a little concern. Fuck. Woojin should have just gone to him instead. He tries to point his fingers at the lowered balls, but the Kwon guy, the one who Jihoon did not say a complete no to - fuck, not the time, Park Woojin - is looking at him weirdly. Woojin bends back a little to see who is standing under those two ball, and luckily, it is no one, and maybe he is just being paranoid… _Daniel is walking his way back and heading right to  the spot under those disco balls_

Fuck it. He’ll deal with the consequences here.

“Hyung! You can’t stand there.”

Daniel looks confused when Woojin goes out of formation to get to him, and he can hear the MC cursing in confusion before announcing politely into the microphone that Woojin needs to go back to his place.

Woojin hears the banging noise that crows over the muted base of the background music first.

He thinks he pushes Daniel out - he is not sure. He runs headfirst into where Daniel approximately is right after he hears the noise and before he can feel the smoke and his skin starts stinging.

Glass. It’s raining glass.

The adrenaline is rushing through Woojin’s ears and making everything echo really deeply so he cannot hear anything clearly for a few minutes until it settles in and he can make out the people yelling in the background and some running towards them, eyes wide.

“Jin… Jinwoo.” It takes even a little more time to register to him that Daniel is calling at him and Woojin can finally feel the hard grip that Daniel has on his arm.

“Shit.” Woojin mutters. “Shit. Hyung, are you ok?”

“My … my leg. Fuck. It’s burning.”

Woojin snaps his neck, and no, it is not burning but the bulk of one of the disco balls that crashed had fallen onto Daniel’s bare leg. Woojin curses and rushes forward to dust off the pieces away from Daniel’s legs and they are all burning hot. Shit, no wonder Daniel says his leg is burning.

One of the medics rushes in with a first aid kit while Jinyoung yells from backstage that the emergency response is on the way.

“Hey. Hey.” Woojin leans over to Daniel whose face is getting paler by the minute. “Hyung. It’ll be fine. We’ll get you to a hospital right away.”

“It’s..” Daniel’s face distorts in pain. “...fuck. It hurts.”

“I know.” Woojin grimaces. “I am sorry.”

“I think…” Daniel says and then his eyes close down and Woojin can feel his heart drop.

“He probably passed out from the pain.” The medic says. “Some of the glass shards are his skin and they are burning through it.”

“Fuck.”

“Niel? Daniel?”

Woojin catches Seongwoo before he can step onto some of the bigger shards around Daniel.

“Hyung. He just passed out from the pain.”

“IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER?”

“The ambulance is on the way, hyung.” Woojin says while Minhyun holds Seongwoo back a little. “Seongwoo, hey, let the medic do his job first, ok? How can we help?”

The medic asks them to help move Daniel to a less hazardous place and it is not a four people job so Woojin leaves them as much as he does not want to. He has other things to take care of like Jihoon who is rushing up the stage.

“It was the disco balls.” Woojin says before Jihoon can asks. “The two on the leftmost - I noticed that they are a lot more heavier than the rest, and then they exploded.”

“What about the rest?” Jihoon points out to the a few remaining disco balls hanging loosely from the half burnt metal row that was carrying them before. The explosive must have been quite weak if it did not knock out the entire structure.

“I don’t think they are explosives, but better get people off-stage first.”

“Ok,” Jihoon nods, looking around him. “How many injured?”

“One confirmed.” Woojin grimaces. “Daniel, but I think everyone else is fine? Daniel was directly underneath them when they exploded. Shit. I noticed them and I was hesitating. I could have done something sooner.”

“Jaehwan hyung, I need you to call in the bomb team, and send a squad onto the stage to secure the area.” Jihoon says into his headpiece before turning to Woojin. “Woojin, you did something. I saw you acting weird on screen and came running. And, you need to go and get a check out as well. Your arms are bleeding. Hang on. The response team is calling me. Yes. This is Detective Park.”

Jihoon speaks rapid fire into his headset, already heading off stage, so Woojin helps to clear out the stage first, giving way to some of the petty officers to yellow tape the entire stage. They give him a weird look probably because they know he is their superior at the precinct but here he is, standing almost naked among the rubbles.

Most of the police officers and the resort security are focusing on controlling the crowd exit as orderly as scared people can flee a scene, and the backstage area is mostly apart from a handful of lost souls who look like they are not sure what to do. Woojin grabs the first suit he saw piled on the floor, not caring about hygiene or whatever, and helps a crying makeup girl found her way to the crowd queueing for the exit.

Shit. Their perp could just blend in with the crowd and easily exit. It is pretty much impossible to do any sort of check right now since the priority obviously is to keep the crowd as non-agitated as possible. Woojin tries to sneak back towards the stage - he wants to check first hand what kind of explosive had been used before forensics got here, but the big bulky dude from the resort security team stops him with a hand to the chest.

“Sir, civilians are not allowed back there.”

Woojin curses internally. Maybe if their suspect list weren’t so wide, they would have put the resort security in the loop, but they couldn’t and now it is making things even more difficult for Woojin.

“I left my phone back there!” Woojin tries, but the security guy is pretty firm.

“We will arrange a pick up place and time for all the belongings left behind, sir. But for now, this area is closed.”

Dammit. Woojin actually did leave his phone in the backstage lockers so he can’t even call Jihoon to come and bail him out.

“Jinwoo?”

Woojin turns to see Sungwoon pushing through the crowd. Shit. Woojin wonders if he knows about Daniel.

“I just got off the call with Ms. Kang.”

Well, apparently, he does.

“She is taking the night train right now and I am going to the hospital  to meet up with her later. Ong Seongwoo and Hwang Minhyun are there as well. Do you want to come along?”

Might as well, Woojin thinks. He can take a chance and loiter around here until the resort security physically removes him from the premise or calls the police - which might actually work in his favour - but he does want to know how Daniel is doing before he goes back to the precinct so Woojin gives Sungwon a short nod.

 

* * *

 

“I am sorry.” Woojin says halfway through the ride. Sungwoon is normally a chatty person even with the police once he gets past that initial awkward and terrifying stage, but right now, he is quiet amidst the night wind that is blowing in through the open window.

“For what?” Sungwoon asks after a while.

“I .. noticed something is wrong and I should have done something about it faster because anyone got hurt.”

“I special ordered them.” Sungwoon says, pressing on the lever when the light goes green. “The discol balls. Yelled at some guys in broken Japenese because they weren’t the shape and size I wanted them to be. Each one of them has a latch. I was planning on opening them up and throwing confetti all over the rank 1 at the end. Fucking stupid.” 

“You could not have known.” Woojin says.

“No, but I could have been way more cautious.” Sungwoon says and pulls into the parking lot of the Seoul University Hospital. “Guess both of us has to deal with some shits tonight, huh?”

“Understatement of the century.” Woojin sighs.

 

* * *

 

 

Daniel is awake, but he is in the examination room for casting so Woojin waits outside until Seongwoo and Minhyun comes back to the waiting area, each carrying a cup of coffee.

“Hyung, how is he?” Woojin rushes to ask before they even see Woojin and Sungwoon lurking in front of the examination room.

“The doctor says most of the injuries are on skin layers.” Minhyun says, looking unsurely at Sungwoon. “The burns are quite nasty, but he got lucky and didn’t have any of his nerves damaged so as long as the outer layers heal, his leg will be back to full use, apart from scars.”

Woojin almost doubles over from the relief because he has been trying really fucking hard to not think about Daniel’s dancing being affected in anyway, and he can see Sungwoon being visibly relieved as well from the way he shakily leans himself against the wall.

“Daniel’s mom texted me that she’s on her way.” Seongwoo says.

“Yes, I called her.” Sungwoon replies, and his voice sounds much softer than Woojin has ever heard of it. “She was listed as the emergency contact.”

“The hospital bills are gonna kill them, you know.” Seongwoo laughs bitterly. “I know he’s making a full recovery, but he was already taking up like three jobs before coming up here, and now he’s gonna be stuck in a wheelchair for months.”

“The pageant will cover for his medical expenses.” Sungwoon says. “It’s in your contracts.”

“It’s only listed for injuries that are proved to be caused due to the competition.” Minhyun says and Woojin does not even have the energy to make fun of him for actually reading the contract terms. Who even does that? “Are you saying whatever happened was you guys’ fault?”

“Yeah. What actually happened?” Seongwoo narrows his eyes. “One second, Jinwoo was acting hella crazy, and then the next thing we know, it’s like a fucking bomb went off and people were running around.”

“There was an electricity overload.” Sungwoon answers before Woojin can say anything. “The police are still investigating but the officer on scene told me that it seems two of the headlight disco balls short circuited internally and exploded.”

The answer sounds way too rehearsed to be impromptu and Woojin wonders if Mrs. Kang is the only person Sungwoon has called tonight. He understands the concept of not wanting to alarm the masses, but he wonders if it is the best call right now to cover this up as an accident.

“Good luck with the police.” Minhyun says bitterly and Woojin tweaks a hand into the fringes of his too large suit. “If you are lucky, they’ll call you by the morning and tell you to stop wasting their time.”

“I have actually met some pretty decent detectives,” Sungwoon replies. “Shockingly enough.”

Woojin tries to hide his pleased smile because it is totally inappropriate, but he thinks he loses it a little.

 

* * *

 

 

Daniel makes Woojin swear a promise that he won’t tell anyone about Daniel crying and then passing out on stage although Woojin didn’t even remember seeing Daniel cry because he was too preoccupied at the time. Also, he does not understand the logic of making Woojin promise not to tell anyone while Daniel himself announces to the entire room including his loud-mouthed best friend about that. But Woojin still pinky swears to keep the man at peace.

Seongwoo comments that the ambien must be kicking in and that is probably true.

Woojin does feel very put on spot and more than a little awkward when Daniel emotionally thanks him for saving his life with everyone else present in the room like Woojin had single handedly carried him out of the enemy camp or something.

“It could have been my face, Jinwoo!” Daniel says, putting his face on his palms, and tilting his head. Woojin has never seen intoxicated dogs but they probably look like this.

He really should follow up that invite from Daniel to go drinking together sometimes.

“What if my face gets cut by the … the …”

“Glass.” Minhyun says amused.

“Yes. Grass.” Daniel says proudly. “My face is a baby face. It will hurt even more.”

“Ok, baby face.” Seongwoo scoffs. “Why don’t you try and sleep until your mom gets here? As amusing as this is, you are too handicapped for me right now to truly enjoy this.”

“Sungwoon hyung.” Daniel pipes up and Sungwoon, who has been silent all this times, looks a little alarmed. “Hyung, will you still like me if I have a scar on my face?”

“..I … you don’t have a scar on your face.”

“Pffttt…” Daniel blows a raspberry. “I know that, smartypants. I am asking what if I have? Will you still like me?”

“He is high on ambien because of your overloaded balls. Just tell him what he wants to hear.” Seongwoo turns and reminds him.

“You probably could have worded it better, babe.”

“No, I definitely could not have.”

“Yes, Daniel.” Sungwoon sighs. “I will still like you no matter how many scars you have on your face.”

“Ha. I knew it.” Daniel gives a meme-worthy grin before shooting finger guns at Sungwoon, except he is pointing at the empty space where no one is standing so Woojin really thinks he should rest before it gets even worse for him.

Ms. Kang is still on the way so Seongwoo volunteered to stay with Daniel, together with Sungwoon - Woojin is not entirely sure how that is going to work out but at least, they will be at a hospital so help is near if needed.

Minhyun wants to go back to the resort to fetch their things - they had all packed for the last break, and left their suitcases in their room earlier. Sungwoon confirms that the resort hasn’t shut down the residential area since it is a separate compound from where the live competition takes place. Plus, there are other guests as well.

Jihoon did mention this morning that they will station a small squad at the residential area for look out, and the regular campus security will still be there, so Woojin does not think it is that high of a risk. But, he does not want Minhyun to go alone so he offered to accompany him back. He can go to the precinct after he gets his things anyway.

 

* * *

 

The security told them that all their packed suitcases have been moved into the temporary lost and found area, so Woojin heads there with Minhyun in tow, but gets ambushed half way.

“Fuck! Where the fuck are you, you shithead?!”

Woojin would have answered the question if Jihoon is not squeezing the life out of him.

“Jihoon...what …”

“Hang on. I had to call the captain.”

“What’s going on?” Woojin frowns.

“Erm..Jinwoo?” Minhyun says, looking slowly between the two of them. “I’m just gonna go pick up the luggages first. Do you want me to get yours?”

“No, leave it, hyung. I’ll get it later.” Woojin says while Jihoon mumbles and speed talks into his phone.

“Dude, what the hell is going on?” He snaps after Jihoon ends his call.

“We thought he got you.” Jihoon yells back. He looks angry, and almost teary. “Shit. Woojin. You weren’t answering your phone …”

“I don’t have it with me.” Woojin interjects. .

“... and no one has any idea where you were, so we thought the bastard actually did something to you.”

“What bastard? What are you talking about?” Woojin asks, completely lost.

“C’mon.” Jihoon reaches for his hand so Woojin gives it. “You need to see something.”


	12. Chapter 12

“That is …” Woojin comments. “... some SAW-spin off level insanity.”

“Take this seriously, Woojin.” Jihoon says in displeasure. Woojin is taking this seriously. It’s just … a little bit of too much dramatical flair for someone to stab a threatening note to his pillow with a wire cutting knife. Is it worrying that someone actually got into his room when everything was in chaos outside, and stabbed a knife through his pillow? Yes? But then again, really? Theatrical threats? “Resort security found it when they were carrying out the luggages. And you went MIA for two whole hours so I got so fucking scared.”

“I was at the hospital with Daniel,” Woojin mumbles softly. Jihoon has not calmed down yet completely but he is no longer holding Woojin’s wrist in a death grip at least. “He’s getting sloppy. The perp, not Daniel. He wrote this one by hand.”

“Yes, my working hypothesis is that he saw you playing hero on TV and got mad, so while everyone was running around, he sneaked in and left this in a hurry.”

“If you fuck with me one more time, you won’t enjoy the things I’d do to you, boy.” Woojin reads the note from the crime scene pictures that Jihoon had taken. “Ew. Gross. He has to be regularly following the show, right? There’s no other way he’d know which room I sleep in.”

“Or he has more inside access than we have thought previously.” Jihoon says. “The cameras in the room had been turned off since morning but we do have the hallway cams.”

“Anything useful?”

“We caught a guy on cam, but the resolution was quiet bad, and his face was covered.”

“Dude!” Woojin exclaims. “That is awesome. It’s the first time we have actually caught this son of a bitch on tape. Why aren’t you in tech, bullying some intern to run facial recognition?”

“Because I was too preoccupied trying to find you! You were not answering the phone, and when we saw the note, we assumed the worst.”

“I wished I was with the perp, man. I could have ended it tonight.”

“Dont’ fucking joke about that.” Jihoon snaps. “He’s dangerous, and capable enough. God, you don’t know how scared I was running up to that stage earlier, thinking you had got caught. And then, I saw this note and I could not find you anywhere, and ..”

“Hey,” Woojin extends an arm to Jihoon and takes his phone out of his hand. “I am fine, alright? I am sorry I didn’t tell you where I was, but I am …”

Jihoon comes into his arms again - that’s the twice for the night; Woojin does not know what he did to get so lucky, especially with the way Jihoon is holding his hands around Woojin’s waist and he can feel the exhales and inhales out of Jihoon’s breath on his naked collarbones.

“Are you ok?” Woojin asks, and Jihoon laughs, almost hysterically into his neck.

“Shut up.”

“Erm.. but…”

“No, Woojin, really.” Jihoon sighs. “Shut up for a minute and just … I don’t know… give me a minute.”

“Ok.” Woojin nods and bites the bullet, interlacing his fingers behind Jihoon’s back and bringing Jihoon in closer. “Whatever you want.”

There is no air condition turned on in the van and Woojin has been running around for at least three hours. Plus, he is wearing somebody’s abandoned suit so he does not think he smells that good or is that clean, but Jihoon holds him like he is afraid Woojin is going to slip out of his fingers, and Woojin wants to say something .. maybe a joke or something lame because he does not like this kind of atmosphere.

Because this kind of atmosphere does his head in and makes him think about things that scare him, like just lifting Jihoon’s face up from his neck and kissing him to make up for the last 5 years that Woojin had been a mess.

“Sorry… just ..it’s been a long day.” Jihoon says and leaves Woojin’s space but Woojin pulls him back to arm’s length.

“Jihoon.” Woojin would like his voice to be more assured and maybe slightly less shaky, but it is difficult to speak words that you have swallowed so deep down inside you. “...what are we?”

Jihoon blinks.

“What am I supposed to say? The police officers of the Republic of Korea?”

“No, shithead.” Woojin says and immediately grimaces. Maybe, not calling the person you are trying to open up your heart to a shithead would be a good start. “I mean, us, me and you, what are we?”

“I don’t...I don’t know what you mean, Woojin.”

“I am just … are we friends? Are we the best of the best friends? Or are we just something that we don’t even know ourselves because I don’t know what I am around you, Jihoon. I know what I want to be and I know what I should be for you, but I don’t know what I am to you.”

“Woojin…”

“Because look, I am your best friend, right? Do or die. Bros for life, whatever. But sometimes, you do things like this and say things, and look at me like I could be something more, and then I can’t think of anything other than kissing you and asking you to always keep looking at me like that.”

“I…” Jihoon slips out of Woojin’s hold. “Woojin, you don’t… you are not even into guys.”

“Says who?” Woojin blinks.

“YOU!” Jihoon snaps. “You literally dropped like three no homos after we’ve first met, and you’ve always dated girls and you never told me you like guys!”

“Ok, the first year me was an ignorant little bastard with no tact, I admit that. But I haven’t dated anyone for 5 years, Jihoon.”

“It took you years to be comfortable with me bringing guys back to our dorm!”

“No, it took me years to realize that it doesn’t matter if I sulk around your boyfriends. You’ll still date them and there is nothing I can do without driving you away as well.”

“I … I kissed you that night,” Jihoon whispers. “I kissed you and you said no, and now years later, you are suddenly into me?”

“Are you talking about the time you kissed me right after you got dumped by your boyfriend?” Woojin says in frustration. “Jihoon, I wasn’t about to be a rebound and you weren’t in the right headspace that time.”

“How’d you know that?” Jihoon laughs bitterly. “You know how I told you all this time that Max dumped me? No, he did not. He wanted me to move in with him after graduation, take the next step, and I couldn’t do it so I was the one who broke his heart.”

“You never told me.” Woojin mutters.

“Because you would have asked why and I didn’t have any good answer for that, but you stayed with me all that weekend, even through your entire birthday, and I thought maybe I had a chance, so I kissed you. You pushed me away and told me to rest up instead, and …”

“But you never tried again?”

“Do you think I like getting humiliated more than once?!”

“Jihoon…” Woojin mumbles. “I wouldn’t… you know I would never do that.”

“No, but look, gay kid falling in love with his straight best friend - that’s a tale old as times, ok? I tried and took a chance, but it didn’t work out, so I took my loss and made my peace. I am doing well most of the times so you can’t just come in and tell me some Nicholas Sparks shit about how much you’ve wanted to kiss me all these times.”

“I am sorry,” Woojin blinks. He does not know why it feels like they are fighting. “Are you actually … mad .. that I like you back?”

“You never told me that, Woojin!”

“It’s not like you were laying your heart open for me either?” Woojin shouts back. “You hit on me once when you were drunk and we just met, and once when you were crying your way through a break up. How was I supposed to know?”

“God, what are we even doing?” Jihoon rubs a hand over his face. “There is a bomber out there that we are supposed to be catching right now, and it has been a long fucking day for both of us. We should be focusing on something more important.”

“Fine.” Woojin grits his teeth. “When or if you feel like we are an important enough topic to talk about, you let me know.”

“Woojin…”

“I need to go and get my shit back from lost and found before they close it.” Woojin mumbles and shoves past Jihoon out of the van.

He does not know why he is feeling so angry - no, angry is not the right word, he feels tired and just really frustrated and also confused - Jihoon says he liked Woojin, since a long time back, just like Woojin had, but then he started getting mad because Woojin wasn’t … what? Obvious? Woojin can read Jihoon like a book but sometimes, he turns out to be written in Latin, and Woojin does not know what goes on in his head. And that’s fine - Woojin does not mind that. He does not need to know Jihoon inside and out, but this is different. This is about them specifically and Woojin cannot stand the fact that Jihoon is hesitating like he cannot trust Woojin enough.

The security guys are almost wrapping up the lost and found corner, so Woojin barely makes it to get his phone and suitcase back. There are … way too many messages on his phone … half of them from Jihoon about three hours ago in both text forms and voicemails, probably him just freaking out, some from other detectives and one from Minhyun saying he had gone back to pick up Seongwoo at the hospital. There is also one from Captain Yoon asking him to rest up for the night, but come in tomorrow at 9 for a briefing.

Woojin shuts down his phone because it is at 2% anyway and heads towards the taxi stand. Jihoon is right about one thing - it has been a longass day and everything on his body is starting to ache a little from the day. That’s good though, Woojin thinks - it kind of distracts him a little from the ache inside of him.

 

* * *

 

Woojin cannot sleep. It is the worst kind of insomnia where his eyes are literally stinging because they are too tired but no matter how hard he tried, his brain would not shut down as requested and keeps him awake.

His plugged in phone lit up when it is fully charged, like some kind of devil in the disguise of a 2-inch wide touch screen, so Woojin reaches for it on the nightstand and turns it back on.

He goes through his messages once again to make sure that he didn’t miss anything important - like the ones from his mom that he definitely missed - but seemed like she called Jihoon when Woojin wasn’t answering his phone. That must have been when Jihoon himself had been freaking out, but he must have assured her because her last message for him is to take some rest and to call her when he has time. Woojin sets up a reminder just to call her tomorrow.

Jihoon has left a hysteria of messages during the timeframe that he thought Woojin was gone and a couple of voice messages too, so Woojin clicks open the first one to listen.

“Hey. Woojin. Erm. Can you call me back when you get this? I can’t find you anywhere and I am kind of freaking out.”

It was fine, but it gets progressively worse by each voicemail, and by the 4th one, Jihoon is already yelling at him.

“I swear to god! If you don’t turn up in the next five minutes, Imma go over the captain’s head and issue a phone location track order myself. Shit. Woojin, please. Just… just be ok. Please.”

It is not always that you get to see (or hear in this case) Park Jihoon scared, and Woojin does feel bad, despite him being definitely a little mad at Jihoon right now, that Jihoon had to go through that, not knowing where Woojin is or if he is in danger. Woojin would have gone crazy in his shoes.

Jihoon was … scared.

 

* * *

 

Woojin was half hoping Jihoon does not pick up, but he does on third ringtone.

“Hey,” Jihoon answers and Woojin can hear the distant traffic in the background. Jihoon stays near a market so every night, there are delivery trucks coming and going. Jihoon likes opening the window and listening to that ruckus of a noise sometimes because he is a weirdo. “Woojin?”

“Hey,” Woojin answers back. “Are you back at home?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok. I .. listen, I am sorry for yelling at you earlier.”

“I wasn’t exactly a non-participant, Woojin.” Jihoon sighs. “It’s alright. We are both tired.”

“Are you scared?” Woojin blurts out. “Jihoon. Are you scared?”

“About what?” Jihoon whispers back.

“Us. What we could be. What we could have been. Are you scared of that?”

Jihoon does not answer so Woojin continues.

“Because I am. I am terrified at the idea of us because we work now, right? This is something that is working fine, so what if I did something wrong and I don’t even get to have you as a friend anymore? What if I crossed some vague line that keeps shifting? I am scared of that, and I think that’s why I never tell you, despite all the chances that I have, I was … scared.”

“Me too.” Jihoon finally whispers back.

“Ok, so here’s what I think, right?” Woojin says, rubbing a hand over his tired eyes. “Remember that one Halloween when we were dared by these stupid seniors to go into a haunted house and we are both shitting ourselves but we agreed that we can do it if we go in together.”

“We didn’t last that long.” Jihoon replies. “I remember you trying to punch a ghost.”

“He was annoying.” Woojin says. “No, but I don’t want to talk about annoying ghosts. What I am saying is that ..” Woojin swallows. “... maybe we won’t be so scared if we are with each other? And even if we do, we can do it together, right? So, let’s just be scared together… for as long as we can. Let’s be together.”

It takes Woojin a couple of seconds to realize that those tiny little noises are Jihoon laughing and not crying.

“Woojin.. I am.... You know what? That is the nicest way anyone has ever asked me out.”

“No, it is not. I knew that.” Woojin mumbles.

“It is if I say it is.” Jihoon replies. “It’s you and that’s the only criteria.”

“Can I come over?” Woojin asks but he is already out of the bed, turning the lights on.

“Woojin, it’s 4 in the morning. We need to be at the precinct by 9.”

“I know that, but I can’t sleep.” Woojin mumbles and grabs a jacket.

“I don’t want you to get chewed out by the captain ..”

“Jihoon,” Woojin cuts him off. “The next time that I see you, I am going to kiss you and I don’t want to do it at the same place we send criminals to jail, so please. Can I come over?”

Silence. Silence, and a little more excruciating _silence_.

“Get your ass here quickly then, you idiot.”

 

* * *

 

Jihoon does not have the cherry chapstick on.

That’s fine. Woojin does not need him in any flavour. Just Jihoon is enough.


	13. Chapter 13

They had come in to work together before with the amount of time each of them spent at the other's place, but this time is different. Because when Woojin woke up this morning with stinging eyes and an aching neck, Jihoon was asleep on his chest, hand fisted in Woojin's thin Police Academy t-shirt.

They never made it to the bed last night, which makes it sound more suggestive than it is, but they were too tired to even think about moving and Woojin is not sure what it says about the first impressions when the first time he kisses Jihoon, they both fall asleep not twenty minutes later.

Jihoon is looking out of the bus window, chin on palm and elbow on that disgusting bus window frame. They haven't spoken a lot this morning, mostly because both of them slept through Jihoon's three different alarms, but also because it is a little awkward. Jihoon even said _thank you_ when Woojin gave way for him to use the washroom first earlier.

God, Woojin gave way for him to use the washroom first.

He is really in the deep end.

Woojin wants to say something, but he is never really good with words anyway so instead, he reaches out and holds Jihoon's other hand that is on his lap.

Jihoon squeaks a little like a startled mouse and turns to Woojin with wide eyes so Woojin immediately tries to drop it, but Jihoon catches his fingers before Woojin can.

"You can laugh if you want." Woojin sighs because Jihoon looks like he is trying to swallow down his amusement.

"We are so bad at this." Jihoon blurts out before using his free hand to facepalm himself. "I swear to god, I normally got more games than this."

"This is fine." Woojin winks at him. "My heart can only handle so much."

Jihoon bursts out laughing again and Woojin should probably be a little annoyed that Jihoon is laughing at him, but he can't. Not while Jihoon's hand is in his and not when Jihoon is laughing like a madman on an early morning in public transit like Woojin makes him the happiest person in the world.

Not when Woojin himself is the happiest person in the world.

 

* * *

 

"What are you two so chipper about?" Jaehwan comments, passing by them like the ghost of an overworked detective, clutching his coffee mug that is chipped on the rim.

"Nothing." Woojin replies immediately. "We are just friends. Walking in. For work."

"It's a good thing you are the official office weirdo." Jihoon laughs. "Otherwise, people might get suspicious."

"Fuck you." Woojin mutters, and then exclaims as realization hits him. "Oh my god, when I say things like this now, they sound more like a Freudian slip than just curse words."

"Woojin!" Jihoon hisses. "Quit blushing in the middle of the bullpen."

"What?" Woojin squeaks. "I am not blushing. You are."

"Detectives!" Captain Yoon yells from the interrogation room and both of them jump a little. "Anytime when you two are ready."

"Yes, sir!" They yell back in unison, give each other a look and make a beeline to the room.

 

* * *

 

Sungwoon and Jinyoung are already seated inside the room and Woojin feels a spark of guilt in his stomach. Last night mess is still waiting to be dealt with, and there is still a criminal at large that they are supposed to be investigating on. Jihoon must have thought the same because he gives Woojin a small smile before taking a seat in the far end of the table.

"As I was saying before my primary decided to join us," the captain says pointedly and Jihoon mumbles a tiny sorry. "... I would really like you to consider my advise to cancel the final stage, Mr. Ha."

Sungwoon's face look like he would tell captain Yoon to fuck off if he is not legally carrying a gun. Woojin won't even be surprised if Sungwoon does say that despite the presence of said gun. 

"And as I had already answered, captain, it is not possible. The best we can do is push it by a week at most given the public freak out last night, but cancelling is off the table."

"Your contestants' lives are in danger, Mr. Ha." The captain says. "I won't be asking if I don't think it was necessary."

"That is why you guys are here, aren't you?" Sungwoon snaps. 

"We have gotten lucky last night." Woojin adds in. "If I was a little later, Daniel hyung could have been injured worse."

Sungwoon's face tightens.

"So, maybe, it is in the interests of everyone if you cancel or at least reschedule it until the threat level goes down."

"Unfortunately, I only consult this show. I don't run it." Sungwoon says curtly. "You are going to need to convince more than just me, and go to CJ if you really want this to get shut down, or order us to shut it down, although I am pretty sure CJ entertainment's entire office of lawyers will comb through an order like that to find any loophole they can sue you for."

Captain Yoon sighs, throwing his glasses onto the table. 

Woojin had been thinking about it this morning in between thoughts about Jihoon. He knows that is unlikely at all given that CJ had issued a statement this morning, bright and early, that the explosion at Mr. Korea Live Stage last night was due to a problem in electrical wiring of the light fixtures. They are covering their bases so that they can soldier on, but Daniel is already in the hospital from this. Woojin is not so sure if he can protect the rest too.

"Jihoon, you are quiet." The captain asks, and Jihoon looks at them unsurely, biting his lips.

"I am not sure if shutting the pageant down is the best option, sir."

Woojin frowns. He knows that he and Jihoon sometimes does not see eye to eye, but it stings a little.

"I got the preliminary results from the bomb squad last night, and it's still premature, but they think it matches the signature of the Pride 2014 bombing. Both uses the same wiring and same remote detonation."

"Hang on," Sungwoon interjects. "Are you telling me  _now_ that whoever this asshole is, he is the same guy who bombed the Pride march?"

"It was an assumption at first." Jihoon answers. "But we think that we have a little more concrete evidence to back it up now. The point is, the first time the bomber did something like this, it gave him what he wanted and we didn't hear from him for 4 years before he is doing the same thing again. And if we give in this time too, who knows how long it's gonna be until we catch the guy?"

"The people there are not bait!" Woojin says sternly, and Jihoon frowns at him. "We are not just going to play Russian Roulette with their lives."

"Nobody is bait, Park." Jihoon replies tensely. "If you think I am not going to put my everything into protecting them, you don't know me. All I am saying is if we announce a cancellation, our trail will go cold and we will lose him again, But if he is still active, there is a higher chance we will get him."

"Yes, but how many lives are we putting in potential danger?" Woojin argues back.

"The discussion.." Sungwoon talks over them both. "... is pointless because we are not cancelling anything. We will be holding the final stage 11 days from now. We are shifting venues, as suggested by you guys and also dropping all our existing associated companies, which was a logistical nightmare, but we are also trying our best to ensure the safety of everyone involved."

"There will also be no live audience." Captain Yoon says. "You can still stream it live but the size of the target audience is too risky."

Sungwoon looks like he wants to argue, but he eventually nods. "Ok. I'll talk to the guy in charge today and try to convince him, but that's the most I can do."

"And I will have my armed officers at the final stage, including Detective Park of course. He will still have to use his cover story for the last stage."

"That's not a problem." Sungwoon nods. "Jinyoung will stay back to work out the logistics with you, but I have another meeting in half an hour, so I should go."

Jinyoung nods and pats on the three thick binders on the table in front of him. "Someone was asking me to bring all the paper works and logistic plannings for the last stage? They are all here if you want to look through."

"That'd be me." Jaehwan raises a hand. "I want to recon on who has access to the backstage."

"Ok, see if you can narrow down a list so Detective Park can start the interrogations." Woojin assumes the captain is talking about Jihoon since Woojin is supposed to stay with his cover for the next two weeks. "Mr. Ha, I'll walk you out." 

"What's your next move?" Jaehwan asks after the captain and Sungwoon left, gathering his coffee mug and motioning Jinyoung to come with him. 

"I'm gonna review the security footage last night." Woojin answers. "I hadn't seen it yet so I wanted to see if it's someone I recognise. JIhoon?"

Jihoon is already writing down in his notebook. "Bomb squad visit first. I've also asked forensics to run a match on the handwriting from the note last night, and I texted Sejeong to do some social media mining last night. Not all the official photos had come in yet, but the event was trending last night so there gotta be footage of things we didn't exactly get to see."

"Guess we are gonna need more coffee then." Jaehwan mutters and leaves the room with Jinyoung in tow.

Woojin prepares to leave too, but Jihoon calls at him before he can, so he sits back down and turns to face Jihoon.

"Did we just have our first fight as a couple?" Jihoon asks, fingers slightly tapping at his notebook. "Just now?"

"We must have made some type of record, right?" Woojin grins, looking down at his watch. It's barely 10 in the morning. "We haven't been even together for 6 full hours and we already fought?"

"I didn't mean to fight with you, Woojin." Jihoon sighs.

"Hey, I know, alright?" Woojin gets out of his seat so he is standing next to where Jihoon is sitting instead. "I mean, I was a little disappointed that you don't back me up, but I get it. We have different opinions and we operate differently. We've always been like this. It shouldn't change just because we are together now. We are .. together, right?"

"No, Woojin." Jihoon rolls his eyes. "I was just kissing you and holding your hand for shits and giggles."

"You cried last night when I kissed you."

"Ha, dream on." Jihoon scoffs. "Anyway, I am gonna go down to the Explosive Department and see if they have any updates. Call me if you get anything."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Woojin calls and Jihoon looks back at him in confusion before rolling his eyes halfheartedly, and stomping over to where Woojin is leaning against the table.

"We should not be doing this in workplace." Jihoon whispers.

"Totally." Woojin agrees but kisses him anyway and Jihoon is way too responsive for someone who thinks they should not be doing this at work. Jihoon kisses him soft and slow, delicate but firm and Woojin gets lost in him a little more. 

"Hey, guess what, guys ..."

Jihoon's teeth almost bite down at Woojin's lower lip but Woojin cannot blame him because he also almost lost his balance and fell off from where he is leaning against the edge of the table.

"What the fuck..." Jaehwan says with feelings. "...are you two doing?"

"Nothing?" Woojin says blandly.

"Really? Because I'm pretty sure his tongue was in your mouth like minutes ago."

"You were hallucinating."

Jaehwan gives them a scathing look. "Since when were you two even ... kissing buddies?"

"The regular word for that is boyfriends, hyung." Jihoon turns and says, and Woojin kind of spirals a little, silently but still pretty much spiraling. 

_Boyfriends._

"Ha!" Jaehwan points at them. "So, you do admit."

"You are a detective. That should be obvious." Jihoon snaps and takes his notebook. "I'm going now."

"Wait, hang on. I actually came here to amaze you two with my new intel, but I got sidetracked."

"You got something?" Woojin jumps.

"Oh, I got something, alright?" Jaehwan grins. "But, more importantly, Jihoon, I thought all this time, you were madly in love with me?"

"In what universe?" Jihoon murmurs while Woojin snaps a finger in front of Jaehwan's face. "Hyung, focus!"

"Right. So, you know that Hong Kong IP address we traced from that download site?"

"Yeah? What about it?" Jihoon asks enthusiastically.

"I was just throwing the idea around with Doyeon on if we should try and get somebody from Hong Kong jurisdiction to trace it, but Jinyoung overheard us and asked us why Hong Kong is even involved in this case, so, I told him, and guess what?"

"Please get to the point."

"The resort! Their internal servers are hosted in Hong Kong. Jinyoung said it's some kind of data center thing. Apparently, he knows that because a lot of the sites he visited at work are blocked in Hong Kong. I decided not to ask him what sites because I am a little scared of him, to be honest. The point is the resort allows selected Mr. Korea staff to connect to the intranet for business purposes."

"So, if we can verify that the IP address is indeed from the resort, we will have a shorter list of suspects?" Woojin asks. He does not know how "selected" is selected, but anything is better than what they thought of previously as a dead-end lead.

"I'll give you something better." Jaehwan grins. "Apparently, there are some sensitive data that each staff faction is handling, so Sungwoon specifically requested the resort to give them different accounts according to the vendors. So, hair and makeup and wardrobe get one account to get into the resort intranet, catering get another, etc. etc. I called IT on the way here. They say that if the resort allows us access to their server, we can probably get which account was used to access the download site."

"Oh my god." Jihoon exclaims, and Woojin agrees. "Oh my god, Jaehwan hyung. I would totally kiss you if Woojin hadn't gotten to me first."

"Screw that." Woojin yells and pushes away Jihoon to get at Jaehwan. "I'll kiss him myself."

Jaehwan squeaks and backs out quickly into the corridor. "Stay away from me, you horndogs!"

"Ok, plan changed." Jihoon says. "Jaehwan hyung! Come back in."

"No..."

"I want to talk to you about the case as your primary!"

Jaehwan mumbles something but makes his way back into the room.

"I am gonna call Sungwoon and gets the resort to let us access their systems, but in case they resist, Jaehwan hyung, I need you to look up on what kind of warrant we can get for this. Are you done with Jinyoung?"

"We are still going through the backstage tap-in logs from yesterday."

"Ok, put that as priority. I'm sure Sungwoon can terrify someone to get what we need. Woojin, you focus on the security footage as planned, and can you also pick up that social media crowdsourcing thing? You'd probably better recognize the faces."

"Yes, sir." Woojin gives him a salute.

"You guys are kinky." Jaehwan mutters and slinks out the room again when Jihoon smacks at him.

 

* * *

  

The security footage is grainy at best, but Woojin can make out a man of around 175cm making his way in and out of his room. He is wearing the staff hoodie and has the hood cover up to his eyes so it is difficult to make out the face. 

"Do you recognize him?" Sejeong asks, but Woojin shakes his head. 

"Hard to say. His walk seems familiar but it just looks like a regular gait so I might be wrong. Is this the clearest we can get?"

"Yeah," Sejeong nods. "Sorry. I tried my best, but all the lights were out in the hall and this isn't a very high quality camera from the start."

Woojin is not even disappointed at this point anymore. "That's alright. Thank you. Jihoon said you did some techy wacky thing on instagram?"

"It's called social media data mining, Woojin." Sejeong says and Woojin gives her his best i-am-dumb look. Sejeong sighs and kicks an empty chair over to Woojin so he can sit down. "I picked up some live streams and videos that the audience took last night. The official coverage is focused on the stage and the contestants, but Jihoon thinks we might have gotten a better look at the staff from the fan photos."

"That makes sense. God, he's so smart."

Sejeong blinks at him and asks if he's okay. Fine. Woojin supposes he can reel it in a little.

"So, did you find anything useful?"

"Depends on if you think 30 photos of you in a speedo dripping in oil is useful."

"Oh my god!" Woojin shrieks, and tries to wrestle the mouse from Sejeong so he can close the photos she has opened up on her giant monitor. "Why do you even have those?"

"Your name was one of the trending words." Sejeong grins. "I got curious."

"Wait. I was trending?"

"Yes, right below ... Rooney. The football player?"

"No, Kang Daniel's cat." 

"Really?" Sejeong wrinkles her nose. "You got beaten by a cat?"

"It's a really cute cat, to be fair."

Sejeong just giggles and thankfully, closes Woojin's humiliating photos from her monitor before opening up another folder that is full of way too many videos.

"You can't just write some fancy code to filter only what we need to see?" Woojin grimaces at the sheer volume of videos they have to go through.

"That will take approximately 2 weeks to develop because this isn't a tvN procedural show about a beautiful hacker lady, Woojin."

"I don't think tvN has a show like that." Woojin mumbles. "Nevermind. Release the Armageddon. My eyes are already tired from lack of sleep. What's 200 more videos?"

 

* * *

 

Woojin makes it as far as about 50 videos before Sejeong announces that she needs a break, and even though she did say that Woojin is welcome to keep looking at them, Woojin bows out, heading towards the vending machine so he can try his luck at getting a red bull and not getting his coins eaten by the stupid machine. 

His desk is dusty and also full of scratch paper and some candy wrappers because Jihoon is a horrible seatmate who had apparently terrorized Woojin's desk when he was away. Woojin makes a sad attempt at wiping his desk clean with some expired wet tissue and turns on his computer. His eyes are not any less dying but at least he is not staring at the shaky horizontal camera footage anymore.

He has about 1500 emails when he was away - that's fun. Jaehwan had sent out his status report about 10 minutes back, so Woojin clicks on it first and reads through.

_#4 : Inconsistent card issuance for Avex company staff_

Avex. He knows that company and he is not entirely sure but maybe he is familiar with the walking style of the guy they had caught on tape after all.

Woojin calls Jaehwan first to ask about item 4, and Jaehwan confirms that even though only 3 of the Avex staff are registered to be on site for the live stage, they were four access cards issued to the Avex employees.

Woojin does not want to hope too much because this is how he sets himself up for disappointment, but he is already shaking with excitement and nerves when he makes his next call to Jihoon.

"Hey, did you get access to the resort system?" Woojin asks not evening letting Jihoon finishes saying hello.

"Kind of. They said they'll let someone come to their premise and work internally to access them, so I asked IT to send a guy down. Why?"

"Can you do me a favor and check for the access logs from Avex first?"

"Who is Avex?" Jihoon asks and Woojin can hear pages being flipped in the background. "The photography company?"

"Yes. That." Woojin says, and gets up immediately because he sees Sejeong heading back in from her break. "I gotta go, but help me do that, alright? I have a hunch."

"Woojin! Wait!"

Woojin does not wait because he wants to catch up to Sejeong fast and go through one of the videos they had seen earlier. 

He knew there was something strange about that hand written note. The guy said  _one more time_ like last night was not the only time Woojin had messed with him.

"Hey, Sejeong. Sorry. Do you remember the video that has like a little wider view of the stage? Enough that we can see the cameramen and photographers?"

Sejeong must have seen crazy cops in the precinct all the time so she does not even blink at Woojin's word vomit and unlock her machine.

"It should be one of these."

"This one." Woojin points at the one video that he is pretty sure that he's looking for. "Yea, look here, this photographer moves to the back of the main aisle about a minute before the explosion starts."

"Maybe he wanted to get a wider shot." Sejeong squints her eyes, and peers close to the monitor.

"Is there any other video that focuses on this area before the exploration?" Woojin taps his pen on the screen where a small aisle that separates two crowds of clients is leading into an exit sign door. 

"Maybe?" Sejeong squints. "I am pretty sure we saw something similar.. ok... here. What are you looking at?"

"Check the timestamp." Woojin taps between the two videos. "It is the same aisle, but only about 40 seconds apart, and our photographer is gone. And this is maybe 10 seconds before people start realizing that something is wrong on stage and start panicking."

Sejeong pulls a paper pad and starts writing. "You are right. He started moving back 34 seconds before the explosion begins and then he disappeared right after the explosion. There was a lag of about 6 seconds for people to react, but he was gone before that. Do you think he's our guy? Is he one of the photographers?"

"Oh, I know exactly what photographer that is." Woojin says and throws down his pen. "I know that bastard."


	14. Chapter 14

Kang Min Ho looks more like a retired office worker than the CEO of a well-known photography company. He looks nervous but not scared as he sits and impatiently taps the wooden table in the interrogation room with his fingers.

Woojin crosses him arm and watches the guy from the other side of the one-way mirror. Jaehwan and a few police officers picked him up earlier this morning, and Jihoon had been off getting the necessary paperwork and background checks.

"Let's go." Jihoon taps on the window of the monitoring room that Woojin is in, so Woojin nods and follows him into the interrogation room.

Kang Min Ho's eyes widen when Woojin pulls a chair in front of him and sit down.

"Aren't you from Mr. Korea?"

"Yes, he is." Jihoon cuts in. "And if you mention anything about him to anyone, we'll hit you up with an obstruction to justice charge and those are not pretty."

"But, I don't understand." The man in front of them murmurs.

"An Seon Min." Woojin pushes the photograph in his hand in front of Kang Min Ho. "He's one of your photographers, right?"

"Yeah. What about him?"

"He was explicitly requested by Mr. Ha Sungwoon to be excluded from any Mr. Korea activity." Woojin pushes the printed email that Sungwoon has forwarded him last night. "Because he was harassing contestants and making troubles. So, explain to us why he was present at the live stage last Friday. In fact, we interviewed a few of the staff and some of them had seen him around ever since the first live stage."

Kang Min Ho gives them a shifty look. "He's a good guy. And a great photographer."

Woojin tries his best not to roll his eyes openly.

"He rejected the advances from the host, so he wrote me this nonsense email asking one of my best photographers to stay off the event." Kang Min Ho continues. "Seon Min needed the money so I kept him on the project and asked him to just stay clear of the host guy and the contestants."

"Wait, sorry, hang on." Jihoon asks. "He told you that Ha Sungwoon hit on him? And you believe it. Are you ... serious? He is at least 10 years older than Sungwoon, and also .. not his type."

"Who knows what kind of things people like those are into?"" Kang Min Ho laughs like he is expecting them to agree with him and Woojin quickly reaches a hand to settle on Jihoon's knee before Jihoon breaks the nose of one of their leads.

"Where is he now?" Woojin asks instead. "An Seon Min. Did you have any contact with him after the last stage?"

"No, but it was weekend." Kang Min Ho frowns. "And you guys drag me in here halfway through Monday morning. Seon Min hasn't come in yet. Is it about me letting him back on the project? Is it big enough for police to get involved?"

"We will need you to inform us immediately if An Seon Min makes any contact with you." Jihoon says.

"I can just leave him off the project if it is that serious!" Kang Min Ho argues. Woojin does not think he has seen the email Sungwoon had sent out over the weekend to terminate their contract with his agency.

"He is a suspect in one of the cases we are investigating." Jihoon replies, and Kang Min Ho stiffens up.

"No, it can't be. He is a nice man. Keep to himself mostly but he doesn't make any trouble at work, and he always make sure to attend the church every week and stay after to pray!" Kang Min Ho says. "He didn't show up yesterday though. That's a little strange for him, but maybe he's just sick or something."

"We are going to need that church information." Jihoon immediately says and pushes a piece of paper in front of Kang Min Ho. They had already checked out An Seon Min's residential address but it was empty and his wardrobe is missing a good half, so he had probably bounced. It won't be a surprise if he is skipping his religious activities either.

Jihoon stays behind to get Kang Min Ho to sign an NDA regarding his interview, while Woojin heads out to meet with Daniel. He had been discharged from the hospital, but is going back to Busan today with his mom to rest up for a while, so Woojin joins Seongwoo and Minhyun in sending him off.

"Get better soon, hyung." Woojin tells him sincerely. "I am sorry you have to drop out of the competition."

"Hey, it's cool." Daniel grins back, as jovial as ever. "There's always next year, right?"

"I should have gotten you out a little faster .."

"Woojin," Daniel cuts him off. "Stop doing that, and stop deflecting every time I try to say thank you."

"I am just .." Woojin toes his shoe into the hard train platform. ".. glad you are mostly alright, hyung."

"I am more than alright, ok?" Daniel winks at him and Woojin wonders if he is still on Ambien. "You focus on practicing for the last stage."

Right. Woojin is not doing that. At all.

"I'll come down to see you guys on the D-day!"

"Hyung, no!" Woojin blurts out. "I mean, you don't have to. Just focus on getting better."

"I'll rest this week." Daniel shrugs. "I want to come and cheer for you guys."

"No, but," Woojin wrecks his head trying to find an excuse. It will be better for Daniel to just stay away in the safety - Woojin is already going through too many strategy meetings and practice sessions on how to keep everyone safe in the case of worst scenarios. ".. won't you feel a little sad coming to see the finale when you can't compete?"

"Maybe, but we've been through this whole thing together, right? I want to be there when someone gets crowned."

Woojin sighs.

"Do you think you can win it?" Daniel asks and Woojin blinks dumbly.

"No?"

"Damn kid, have a little confidence in yourself."

Woojin does, just not in this area. The potential number 1 has been a toss between Seongwoo and Minhyun ever since Daniel had announced his withdrawal and Woojin is far behind the both of them to even consider it.

"Plus," Daniel grins. "Imagine the meltdown Seongwoo hyung will have if you win over him or his boyfriend."

"They are your best friends." Woojin scoffs, nodding his chin at the two in question who are trying to find where the boarding entrance for wheelchairs is.

"You are getting there too." Daniel says with a wave of sincerity and laughs in surprise when Woojin bends down to hug him.

 

* * *

 

"The status update is that there is no status to update." Jihoon groans into his coffee cup, his second one and it is not even noon yet. "We are still staking out at An Seon Min's place and his work. We've put out a bulletin to all the precincts about our guy. No sign of him."

"The final stage is tomorrow, people." Captain Yoon says from where he is standing at the front of the meeting room. "I know this is tiring and manual, but I need you all to go over everything one more time to make sure we didn't miss anything."

Everyone groans.

"Detective Kim, where are we with the new vendor list vetting?"

"All done, sir. I am placing a squadron first thing tomorrow to check everyone that comes in and comes out of the venue."

"Do you think he could have run?" Woojin asks. "We've frozen his accounts after we got that handwriting analysis match. He should have surfaced within the past week."

"Possible," Jihoon turns to him and answers. "But he did draw a large amount of cash before we froze the accounts, so that should be able to sustain him for at least a month."

"Or a couple of large bombs." Woojin murmurs.

"Detective Park Woojin." The captain calls. "When are you going in tomorrow?"

"I've arranged for them to pick me up first, sir." Woojin answers. They had all agreed that Woojin's first priority should be the contestants given that the first bomb that went off was on the stage. So, Woojin plans to stick to everyone like rice cake tomorrow. "It will start at 6 PM and the winner announcement is scheduled around 8. ETA to completion is about 3 or 4 hours."

"Ok," Captain Yoon nods. "Make sure to get your weapons inspected by the armoury before tomorrow. Keep focusing, everyone. He is either going to show up tomorrow or .."

".. or we are going to lose him forever." Jihoon mutters.

"Yes, thank you, detective Park." The captain says. "Dismissed."

 

* * *

 

"Hey, do you know why Ha Sungwoon is in Busan?" Jihoon finds him in the evidence room where Woojin is going over the things they had seized from An Seon Min's place. "I wanted to follow up on that special guest list, but he wasn't picking up his mobile, and Jinyoung told me he's in Busan when I call their office."

"No," Woojin narrows his eyes. "But I have an idea."

Daniel also does not pick up his mobile, so Woojin calls Seongwoo instead.

"Sungwoon is in Busan?" Seongwoo echoes back before saying a quick  _hang on,_ and hangs up on Woojin. He did call back about three minutes later though.

"So, apparently," Seongwoo says into the phone. "Mr. Ha Sungwoon is fetching our boy from Busan back to Seoul because our train system is not convenient at all for people with wheelchairs to use. I am gonna ask that to the mayor the next time he does a campaign."

"He drove down all the way to get Daniel?" Woojin frowns. "Sungwoon? Really?"

"Yes, apparently Daniel has grown far too powerful for us." Seongwoo scoffs.

"Is that Jinwoo?" Woojin can hear Minhyun in the background. "Tell him I said hi."

"Min says hi." Seongwoo repeats obediently. "Do you need Sungwoon for anything?"

"Err.. just want to, you know, get some advice for tomorrow stage." Woojin squeaks.

"I see.." Seongwoo says with a weird tone. "You trying to get one foot ahead of us, Baek?"

"Er... no?"

"Good. If anyone gets insider tips from Ha Sungwoon, it should be the best friend of the guy he is dating. God, I hope they are dating. Daniel would be insufferable if they are just fucking around."

"Goodbye, hyung." Woojin says pointedly into the phone. "I will see you tomorrow."

"See you!" Seongwoo yells back. "Can't wait to crash and burn you all over the ranks!"

"Weirdo." Woojin murmurs with a laugh and ends the call. "Sungwoon is apparently visiting Daniel. Probably to bring him back to Seoul for tomorrow."

"I see." Jihoon mutters. "So, Daniel is not available anymore?"

"Hey!" Woojin protests immediately. " _You_ are not available anymore." 

"What?" Jihoon sticks his tongue out. "I didn't say anything. Stop pouting."

"I am totally hotter than Daniel."

Jihoon pats at his face indulgently. "Of course you are, dear. Wanna lock the evidence room and make out?"

"We shouldn't."

"You are right." Jihoon nods and smirks as Woojin goes and locks the room door anyway. "We totally shouldn't.. hmph."

Woojin is probably not hotter than Daniel, but at least, Jihoon is not the one kissing Daniel, so who's really winning anyway?

 

* * *

 

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Their new host says enthusiastically into the audience that contains a special guest list of 50 dead-eye executives staring at the stage like empty shells of human beings. "Tonight, we will crown one young man who can represent the idea of male beauty and grace and passion and confidence, and he will go on to represent and showcase the best of what Korea has to offer. Welcome to the final stage of 4th Annual Mr. Korea!"

Fuck. Here they go.

 


	15. Chapter 15

"Hey, don't be too nervous." Seongwoo turns to him. He is sitting next to Woojin in hair and makeup, getting themselves done up for the last time before they have to go on to the stage for the final announcement. "I was totally joking about that crashing and burning thing."

"I'm fine, hyung." Woojin whispers back and stares at his reflection in the mirror. He looks nervous and out of place in his thousands dollars tuxedos and the gun he had strapped on his leg is digging into his calf because he is sitting weirdly.

Nothing has happened yet. Apart from Woojin almost missing his cues on the first runway because he was too preoccupied looking out for any potential threat. The two police officers they had stationed on each exit were still there, and Jihoon is standing guard right after the VIP guests and Woojin cannot see anything potentially suspicious as far as his eyes can see.

But he is feeling like this is the calm before the storm.

"Let's go." Seongwoo taps at his shoulder, and Woojin looks up to see that the make up artist had moved away from him, obviously done making him look presentable, so he nods and stands up clumsily. "May the best man win?"

Woojin laughs distractedly and shakes the hand that Seongwoo is offering.

He will just take it if no man gets hurt today.

 

* * *

 

Hyungseob gets second runner-up, which Woojin is not that surprised. He was one of the most popular ones after all, tying with Donghan. Seongwoo, who had told Woojin not to be nervous is fidgeting next to him, twisting his fingers in his hand until Minhyun sneakily knocks his shoulder into him.

Woojin is fidgeting too because everything is going according to plan and his life has never been that easy, unless it is to smack him the face with something much terrible later. He can see Jihoon from the stage, in a similarly pensive face, probably thinking the same thing that Woojin is thinking.

"And now!" The host yells into the microphone and Woojin gets so startled that he almost pulls his gun out. "We will announce our first runner-up and our ultimate winner of Mr. Korea 2018!"

Woojin nods through all the sponsorship list that the host is reading through and raises an eyebrow at Jihoon to whisper _now what?_ into the headpiece he is wearing. Jihoon subtly shakes his head back.

Woojin notices that Jihoon's hand has not left his gun holster for the entire evening, and he can't exactly blame him.

"... and finally, a Porsche!" The host finishes. "That's everything our winner tonight will be awarded with and of course, not to forget, the beautiful breathtaking crown worthy of our Mr. Korea, sponsored by Chrome Heart!"

Woojin takes a sneak peek at the crown that an assistant girl is carrying up onto the stage. It is as beautiful as he remembers when Sungwoon brought it down to the station for inspection. (Woojin called it a tiara and Sungwoon has never looked more offended, which was a feat in itself).

The crown does not look any different, but Woojin is pretty sure that he read Pink Tulips for the congratulatory bouquet on the approved logistics list yesterday. Now, Woojin is no expert in flowers, but he is pretty sure he knows the difference between roses and tulips, or between red and pink. The bouquet is extremely thick too with tiny circular flowers (he did say he is no expert in flowers!) crowding around the roses in the bouquet, leaving nothing to be seen in between the rose stems.

"Jihoon, check with Sungwoon if he changed the bouquet." Woojin says into his earpiece and Seongwoo turns and gives him a look that said he thinks Woojin has finally gone off the rail.

But Woojin cannot care about that right now because Jihoon had gone straight towards Sungwoon at the judges table and starts whispering. Woojin can hear them through his earpiece and Sungwoon confirms that he never changed his order from the shop.

"This is not good, Jihoon." Woojin says as he watches Sungwoon leaves the judges table to make a call and come back immediately, face white.

"The shop says someone called and cancelled the order last minute." Sungwoon is saying. "But I asked Jinyoung to check and one of the junior staffs signed off a bouquet delivery just before the show starts."

"He can't be far!" Jihoon hisses and starts hissing repeated orders into his earpiece for the close monitor team around the venue to spread out and search. "Woojin, don't move yet. He could be watching. Act normal, but keep an eye on it."

How the fuck is Woojin supposed to act normal when he is pretty sure he is staring down at the roses of death two meters in front of him.

His heart is beating way too loudly with the drum beat of the background music that has been building up.

"Ong Seongwoo!" The host yells and Seongwoo lets out a yelp from besides him. "And Hwang Minhyun! Please come to the center of the stage. Congratulations to making it the top 2. We will first announce the first runner up!"

Woojin cannot even clap like everyone else and Minhyun flashes him a little disappointed look. Woojin's face must be doing something downright bitchy right now too because Donghan, who is standing next to him, turns and tells him to _at least pretend to look happy_

Woojin would totally be if he is not terrified down to his bones right now.

"Jihoon, please." Woojin whispers into the earpiece. "Where are you?"

Jihoon does not answer and Woojin is going out of his fucking mind with each step the assistant is taking to get to where Seongwoo and Minhyun are standing with the death bouquet in her hand.

"And the winner of Mr. Korea 2018 is .."

"Jihoon. Come on."

".. Hwang .."

"I GOT HIM. Drop it!"

Woojin moves.

"Don't touch that!"

Minhyun looks up at Woojin in wide eyes from the ground because Woojin has grossly misjudged the amount of force he should have used in pushing Minhyun off before he can lay his hand on the bouquet. The crown on his head is skewed and Minhyun looks both shocked and baffled.

"Jinwoo..."

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Seongwoo yells, going to help Minhyun up, but Woojin has no time to apologise before he can grab the bouquet out of the astonished assistant's hand and try to make a run for it.

"Don't press that button." Jihoon is saying. "Or I swear to god, I will empty this whole cartridge into your fucking face."

"Jihoon, do you have him?" Woojin asks, panting and holding the unusually heavy bouquet with his both hands.

"Baek Jinwoo!" Seongwoo pushes him and Woojin can see some officers rushing onto the stage and some trying to escort out the VIP guests. "You little asshole ... we thought..."

"Can we get some security up on the stage?" The host is saying into the microphone as well, and Woojin cannot hear Jihoon's voice among the cacophony, so he grabs his badge out of his pocket and shoves it into the host's face. "SMPA. This is an active crime scene and it is dangerous. Everyone needs to get off the stage now!"

"Jinwoo..." Minhyun murmurs.

"Hyung!" Woojin turns to him and Seongwoo, and yells. "Go! Please. Jihoon, what's going on?"

"One press of this button and I can kill every single one in that building." Woojin can hear the distinct familiarly leering voice through his earpiece. "Do you want to take that chance, detective?"

"If you do that, I will shoot you somewhere non critical and makes sure you live out the rest of your life in constant pain." Jihoon's voice is strained. "Do _you_ want to take that chance?"

"Tell your ... police friend, I should have known, he was way more annoying than the usual homos." An Seon Min speaks. "To not put down that bouquet and come to us. He's gonna be my ticket to get out of here."

"The hell I will." Jihoon says immediately as Woojin jumps out the stage, heading towards the exit. "Jihoon, I am coming. I need to get this away from the public as soon as possible."

"Oh, seems he is running towards us." An Seon Min says. "Ah, earpiece, is it?"

"Cut the livestream!" Woojin yells and shoulders the exit door open. "Jihoon, where are you?"

Jihoon hesitates before answering. "The office tower in front. Third floor. The staircase is not locked."

"Tell him I am on way."

Jihoon does not answer.

"Jihoon!"

"He's on his way."

"Good. If he is not here in two minutes, I am pressing the button, and trust me when I say this. You can't get everyone out of the blast zone in two minutes."

"Listen, An Seon Min." Jihoon is saying as Woojin sprints into the empty office tower in front of the venue and runs towards the emergency staircase. "You hadn't actually killed anyone yet, but you will if you press that button, so come in quietly, and your charges won't be as big."

"Don't worry about me, detective." An Seon Min answers. "I have a much better plan than you."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Is this where I answer my sad backstory and explain my motives? Shut the fuck up. Where is your little cocksucker friend? If he's not here in the next minute, I will do it!"

"You hate it, don't you?" Jihoon says and Woojin takes a deep breath before pulling open the emergency door. Jihoon's voice is now coming from both his earpiece, and from a distant room at the end of the hallway. "You hate that you are attracted to guys as much as you don't want yourself to."

"How dare you?"

"I'm sorry it was difficult, ok?" Jihoon is saying and Woojin flattens his back across the wall, just outside the empty room he had pinned Jihoon and An Seon Min to be in. "I know that it is difficult to accept yourself, but you don't have to go down this route."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP." An Seon Min yells and Woojin flinches a little before bending down to get his gun out. "You shut your fucking mouth before I got even more annoyed. Where is that asshole?"

"Jihoon, I'm here." Woojin whispers. "Keep him occupied for just a little. I'm staking the scene. Do we have SWAT team in place?"

"Negative." Jaehwan's answer comes in immediately. "We don't have any visual. Every window on third floor has their blinds down."

"East wing. Second room from the left end." Woojin whispers and chances a look into the room. An Seon Min is facing the entrance, but Jihoon is talking to him again to surrender so his attention is on Jihoon.

The remote detonator is tied to a bracelet on his wrist.

Shit.

Woojin was counting on him just holding it so he can just shoot it off across the room, but it is too risky now. He is way too far from where An Seon Min is standing so shooting from here might give him the split second he needs to react and Woojin will have to take a kill shot if he wants to make sure that An Seon Min does not get a chance to press that button.

Ok. Time for plan s. The S stands for Shitty.

Jihoon is not going to like this.

"Jihoon, hey. I am going to walk in." Woojin goes back a little further back and says into the earpiece and even though Jihoon does not say anything, he can hear Jihoon's sharp intake of breath. "Let him take me, ok? The detonator is tied to his wrist. We can't afford to give him a chance to press it. When I am closer to him, I'm gonna distract him and you need to shoot his hand. His hand, alright? You need to aim for that detonator and that detonator only. If you get me, tell him I'm here."

"He is on his way."

"Shit. Jihoon." Woojin says exasperatedly into the earpiece. "I know this isn't the best plan, but we don't know how long we can hold him like this? He is getting pissed by the second. Please. Let's do this, ok? You and me. What could go wrong? Don't answer that if you are listening, Jaehwan hyung."

Jihoon does not respond.

"I trust you. Jihoon, you know that, right?" Woojin whispers. "If you are worrying about me, don't. You can do this. I trust you with my everything. Jihoon. Please."

"He's here." Jihoon's voice is shaky when he finally speaks, and Woojin braces himself.

An Seon Min grins like a deranged dog when he spots Woojin walking in with hands over his head, one of them holding the bouquet.

"Aww ... look at you, like a little boybride that you've probably always wanted to be. Come here."

Woojin swallows and walks towards him, giving Jihoon a slight nod. Jihoon looks like he is closed to angry tears, and Woojin takes a note to himself that if they survive this, he should probably put An Seo Min somewhere far away from Jihoon so Jihoon cannot wreck this man in the painful ways he is no doubt planning in his mind.

"Good, keep those flowers close to you. You know, I should put used roses in our first photoshoot. They do bring out your eyes bett.." Woojin elbows him in the chin as soon as he is in the range to do so, knocking An Seon Min back a little and punches him in the throat before he can get over the shock.

"Jihoon!" Woojin yells, and jams his fists into the bastard's arm joints, just in case he is thinking of using his arm. "Now!"

He hears the _whish_ sound first before he registers the pain, but it was only for a split second before his face is getting splashed by ... oh no no no no.

FUCKING GROSS.

Woojin does have enough brain cells left that are not grossed out by the blood and the bone pieces (oh god, eww ew eww) on his face, so he throws the bouquet far away to the corner of the room and immediately kneels down to restrain An Seo Min even though he probably does not need to given the way the guy is writhing in pain holding his blown up hand.  _Some pieces of that missing hand are on your face_ , Woojin's mind unhelpfully supplies. The bracelet that is holding the detonator is burned and Jihoon kicks away the toasted detonator away before taking out his cuffs and starts reading the Miranda rights in a shaking voice.

"Tact team, move in." Woojin finally slumps down to the floor and says into the earpiece.

"You are bleeding." Jihoon looks up at him. An Seon Min had finally passed out (after vomiting, which double _ew_ ) and Woojin blinks back at him dumbly.

"My entire face is blood, Jihoon."

"No," Jihoon makes sure their perp is firmly cuffed before kneeling in front of Woojin. "Your ear. I shot your ear."

"Oh," Woojin mutters. Right. The pain. "It's .. oww fuck, it hurts."

"Don't touch it, you moron!" Jihoon yells. "I think it only brushes by but fuck, seems like a small part is missing. Fuck. Woojin, I shot you!"

"Hey, my ears have always been weird. A bullet wound's not gonna make them look any less bad." Woojin tells him. "You did such a good job, baby. I am proud. Maybe you might even be half as good as me in the gun range."

"Woojin, can you .." Jihoon breathes out. "..please be serious for one second? It could have gone wrong so many ways. I could have shot you by accident. He could have killed you."

"But, it didn't." Woojin reaches out and holds Jihoon's ice cold hand. "Nothing went wrong because you trusted me enough to let me do my shitty plan. I am being serious, ok? Thank you."

"Holy shit. You look like Carrie on prom night."

"Hi, Jaehwan hyung." Woojin laughs, exhausted. "Can you please take this guy away and lock him up while Ji is still in emotional stage and not in the anger stage yet? The dude might not survive that."

"Good call," Jaehwan nods and gets some of the armed members to fireman carry their guy down and Woojin lets out a huge breath, holding Jihoon who is shoving his head into Woojin's chest.

"And can I also please get a fucking tissue or something? This is so freaking gross!"


	16. Chapter 16

"Why do I have to come along again?" Jihoon asks, checking his hair in the mirror. "I don't even know half the people there."

"Because," Woojin sighs. He can't believe they are having this conversation again. ".. I promised Minhyun hyung that I will personally come to his crowning ceremony since I kind of ruined his last one."

"Yeah, to save his ass." Jihoon murmurs. "But I didn't promise."

"No," Woojin turns to him with hands on hip. "But you are my boyfriend so if I am gonna be bored to death, you will too. Plus, you shot me in the ear, remember? I still have the scar, so you owe me."

Jihoon throws his jacket at Woojin's face. "Weren't you the one telling me to let it go and not feel bad about it, you bastard?"

"Yeah, for your overall mental and psyche." Woojin shrugs. "Doesn't mean I am not gonna milk it all I can to get small favours."

"You are an imbecile."

"Please, Jihoon." Woojin deadpans and throws back the jacket at Jihoon. "Control your love for me. We have a Mr. Korea crowning event to attend."

 

* * *

 

"Isn't this the first time that you've met them since that night?" Jihoon asks in the car. It had been exactly eight days, most of which are spent with Woojin wrestling with the paperworks and fighting off reporters (and almost ending up living in the precinct for days because man, those people are insistent). Apparently, he had been trending on social media for days even though the live stream was cut off almost immediately after he revealed on the national television that he is police.

The bad news is he is not going to be getting any more undercover missions.

The good news is HR asks if he and Jihoon wants to do a duo poster for their next round of promotion campaign.

"I talked to them on text." Woojin mumbles and turns into the parking lot.

"You are nervous, aren't you?" Jihoon simply says. "About meeting them again."

"They are my friends." Woojin mumble. "And I lied to them the whole time. They don't even know my real name until a week back."

"To protect them." Jihoon turns to him and says seriously. "They will like you as Park Woojin, the pageant detective..."

"Please don't call me that."

".. or they are not worth being your friends." Jihoon says. "And I will punch them."

"How about you just sit there and morally support me? Hmm?" Woojin says in a rush, locking Jihoon's fingers with his own. "That sounds good?"

"If you insist.." Jihoon sighs long-sufferingly before turning to give Woojin a short kiss and getting out of the car.

Woojin takes off his seatbelt, gathers himself and follows Jihoon out of the car and into the buzzing hall.

 

* * *

 

"Park Woojin, huh?" Daniel is turning the SMPA name card Woojin has handed him in his fingers. Woojin can see the cast shape under his leg, but he is standing and walking on his own so it seems like his leg is mostly healed. "Man, they really didn't put any effort in your undercover name, did they?"

"No, they didn't." Woojin nods in agreement. "I am sorry, hyung. For having to lie to you all this time."

"Jin.. Woojin." Daniel blinks. "You really get hanged up on the weirdest of things, you know that?"

"I've been told." Woojin says and squeaks a little when Daniel pulls him into a one-armed hug.

"Thank you, Park Woojin." Daniel says. "I am really glad I called you to sit with me on that first day."

"Yeah," Woojin nods. "Yeah, me too. Where is Seongwoo and Minhyun hyung?"

"Minhyun's getting dolled up and Seongwoo's fussing over him."

"How's Seongwoo hyung taking it?" Woojin asks. "You know, losing the Mr. Korea title to Minhyun hyung?"

"Pretty well. He keeps saying it might as well be his baby if he is to lose to a man."

Woojin scoffs. "Bet Minhyun hyun doesn't appreciate that."

"He likes it secretly." Daniel winks. "Come sit at our table."

"Yeah," Woojin nods, looking around. "I am just waiting for my ... Jihoon."

Woojin had lost Jihoon the moment they step in and Jinyoung told them that there is an open bar with free mini mimosas. Woojin tiptoes and looks around to finally find him sipping on a glass and eating what looks like chicken tenders. Damn, he really left Woojin here to go and be with the love of his life. Woojin waves at him and points to the table that Daniel showed him earlier, and Jihoon gives him a thumbs up.

"Oh?" Daniel gives him a knowing smirk. " _The_ best friend? So you did tell him?"

"I did." Woojin grins, a little flustered. "Thank you for that, by the way. I told him and it didn't turn out to be so bad. I mean, I probably fucked the confession up, but .."

"Can't be worse than mine." Daniel laughs and walks him over to the table.

"Oh, right..." Woojin trails off. "What did you do?"

"Nothing that good." Daniel scrunches his nose, and Woojin whines a _C'moonnnnn_

"Fine, fine." Daniel laughs. "I'll tell you because you saved my life. He came to Busan to drive me back to Seoul."

"Wait. You guys weren’t dating then?"

"No, I mean I have a feeling that we are something, and that's why I confessed, but I kind of lost my balance when I was, you know, rolling over to him in my wheelchair and kind of fell on top of him."

"Oh my god." Woojin exclaims.

"Yeah, it was at my place and I asked mom to give us some space so it ended up just us being trapped under a wheelchair."

"Please don't tell me you told him that you liked him then."

"I did."

"Jesus." Woojin groans.

"And then, he told me that he likes me too but if I don't get my 60 kg of muscle mass off of him, he's gonna bite my nose off."

"Sounds like him." Woojin nods.

"Sounds like who?" Sungwoon asks and Woojin almost trips and falls face first into a nearby table.

"No one, hyung." Daniel grins, wrapping an arm around Sungwoon's waist, efficiently distracting the man. "I thought you were busy preparing your script."

Sungwoon is doing the hosting this time because apparently, a lot of the MCs they contacted right out rejected the position saying it is cursed, but Sungwoon insists that the two previous hosts just suck and do not have any sense of emergency response handling, or sense of adventure.

"I was, but I saw our rank 18, so I came to say hi."

"God, don't remind me." Woojin groans. His mom has the official Mr. Korea ranking announcement printed and framed in their living room in Busan, together with frames of Woojin's very first 1st Look photoshoot. So, Woojin guesses he will be spending Christmas at Jihoon's after all.

"Daniel wanted to crown you Mr. Congeniality."

"The what now?" Woojin blinks.

"It's for saving all of us." Daniel argues. "But Sungwoon hyung vetoed it."

"He's getting a medal from the city anyway." Sungwoon waves a hand. "Plus, he hates these kinds of things."

Woojin really does.

"Thanks... hyung." Woojin mutters and Sungwoon does not even glare at him, so Woojin gives him a full megawatt smile.

 

* * *

 

"That's the man I have sex with every night. I am so proud." Seongwoo whispers, wiping a fake tear from his eyes as Minhyun, on stage, gives an emotional speech of believing in yourself.

Daniel coughs into his water glass.

"Did they resize the crown for him?" Jihoon turns to Seongwoo and asks, looking as innocent as a newborn but Woojin has been with that devil child for way too longer to know he is anything but. "His head's kind of big."

Seongwoo gives him a majorly offended glare and Daniel starts laughing and coughing, while Jihoon just smirks, playing with Woojin's fingers in his hand.

Woojin knew that he is going to just settle in nicely.

 

* * *

 

Woojin says hi and gives his congratulations to Minhyun after people clear off a little, heading towards the afterparty. Minhyun pulls him into a tight hug and keeps telling him _thank you_ s until Woojin smacks on his back a little and asks to be let go of because he can't breathe.

"Hyung, can I borrow that for a while?" Woojin points to the crown on Minhyun's head, and Minhyun easily hands it over.

The crown is not as heavy as he imagined it to be when he puts it on. It does slip down a little though. Man, Minhyun really has a big head.

Jihoon laughs at him with shining eyes when he spots Woojin walking over to him (getting free mimosas at the bar again) with a crown on head.

"Look goods on you." Jihoon comments. "But I thought you don't like wearing tiaras."

"Well, as everyone has been correcting me," Woojin laughs and takes it off. "It's a crown and not a tiara, sooo.."

"It's pretty." Jihoon comments, touching at the crown.

"I've come to barter, my lord." Woojin says in his best Tyrion Lannister voice and hold the crown up to Jihoon's face in a flourish. "Your heart for my tiara."

"It's not even yours, idiot." Jihoon scoffs. "And you can't barter for something you already have."

Woojin takes his hands back in because even Jihoon is starting to flush a little up the neck from what he has just flippantly said.

"Hey, Jihoon?" Woojin calls.

"Hmm?"

"I think I have a problem."

Jihoon turns to him immediately. "What's wrong?"

"I think I am in love with you." Woojin says. "Do you think that's gonna be a problem?"

Jihoon stares at him and then turns his face back to the mimosa glass on the bar counter, a smile painting his face soft. "No. No problem at all."

 

* * *

 

**_Take it from the Top_ **

_Woojin wonders if this is how his 5 years at the Academy is going to be. He just came straight from Seoul station and his bags are still at the front desk because nobody is there to tell him where he can find his room or give him his room key._

_Instead, he followed the noises and music down the hall at the dorm that he is supposed to be staying in and found himself in the midst of a room full of people dancing and getting wasted and making out._

_Man, college is so cool._

_A red-headed girl passing by him gives him a beer so Woojin takes it with a thanks and tries to move along to the music. His class does not start until two days later anyway, and it probably is not a bad thing to start the semester with a bang, right?_

_"Oof." Someone bumped into him and Woojin steadies the slightly staggering guy by his shoulders._

_"You alright, dude?"_

_The guy in front of him lifts up his face to look at Woojin. He seems a little drunk and maybe Woojin is too because the first thing that came to his mind is 'damn his eyes are pretty'_

_"Oh, hello." The guy says. "You are cute. Wanna dance?"_

_"I .. erm." Woojin stutters. He knows Seoul people are probably more open and modern, but he did not think he'd be getting hit on by a guy on his first day in Seoul. "I am good. I am not into .. you know ..."_

_"I am asking you to dance, not take my hand in marriage." The guy grumbles and pulls himself out from Woojin's hold._

_Shit._

_"Hey, hey." Woojin catches up with him, not wanting to be a douche. "I am sorry if I was being an ass."_

_"You kind of are."_

_"Sorry." Woojin grimaces. "I just want to make sure, you know. I mean, you are a very handsome man ... no homo, but I am ..."_

_"Maybe you should just stop talking."_

_"Right." Woojin nods. "I will ... do that."_

_"Relax, ok?" The guy laughs. "I am not hitting on you. You just look a little lost."_

_"I am." Woojin admits. "I am Woojin. I'm supposed to be moving into 201 but I don't know who to ask."_

_"Oh?" The guy's eyes widen and has Woojin mentioned that this guy has really strangely pretty eyes? "Your first name won't happen to be Park, right?"_

_"It is." Woojin frowns._

_"Well then, Park Woojin." Jihoon grins and holds out a hand. "Meet your new and awesome roommate. I am Park Jihoon."_

_"Oh.." Woojin blinks. What are the chances that he runs right into his future dorm mate in the middle of a party._

_"Is there a problem?" Jihoon asks, tensed and Woojin shakes himself out of his stupor, grabbing at Jihoon's hand to shake it._

_"No, no. No problem. I mean, as long as you don't like go and fall in love with me, we are good."_

_Jihoon gives him a light laugh._

_"Then I guess we'll have no problem at all."_


End file.
